| Summary/Abstract |
Rapprochement between Iraq and Saudi Arabia since 2014 started with of the rise of new political actors on both sides: Haider al‐Abadi and Muqtada al‐Sadr in Iraq and Muhammad bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. Both share pro‐Western attitudes and rivalry with Iran. Both were also seriously challenged by the temporary rise of ISIS, and the defeat of the organization by Abadi's Iraq prompted further cooperation to prevent its reemergence. Iraqi‐Saudi relations have a complex and fraught history. The new beginning, reaching its height with Prime Minister Abadi's visits to Saudi Arabia in June and October 2017, were accompanied by great expectations on the Iraqi side for major reconstruction projects. The Saudis are engaged in securing the hegemony of Muhammad bin Salman at home and in countering Iran regionally. For the Saudi government, Iraq is a zone of contention to be pulled from the Iranian orbit and to be denied as a battleground for radical groups like ISIS. The kingdom has come to terms with making the Shiite‐led government its main interlocutor instead of Sunni groups; but Riyadh is still waiting to fully engage.
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