CIA Director Bill Burns made an unannounced trip to Saudi Arabia this week where he reportedly aired Washington's frustrations over Riyadh's opening to Iran and Syria through mediation brokered by US rivals China and Russia. Burns met with country's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and expressed displeasure over Riyadh's ongoing rapprochement with both Tehran and Damascus. Saudi Arabia has agreed to restore diplomatic ties with Iran in a deal brokered by China last month and on Thursday in Beijing, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and agreed to reinstate consulates and embassies as well as flights between the two countries. On Syria, Russia is mediating between Riyadh and Damascus in an attempt to restore consular ties that broke off in 2011 following Syrian President Bashar al-Assad brutal crackdown on protests. Saudi Arabia is mulling an invite to Assad to the Arab League summit that Riyadh will host next month.

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