GRC is a privately funded, non-partisan think tank and consultancy based in Jeddah, with offices in Geneva and Brussels. Abdulaziz Sager chairs the foundation.
Since late July, US and Iranian forces have resumed strikes across the Middle East after a brief pause. The US and Saudi Arabia have carried out airstrikes on pro‑Iran militias in Iraq; Iran has launched ballistic missiles and drones at US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz; regional actors including the Houthis are expanding pressure on Red Sea routes. Diplomatic talks remain fragmented.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, promising mutual defense if any is attacked. The pact aims to deter regional threats, coordination falls short on concrete action, and it builds on existing defence ties amid rising regional tensions.