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According to the Financial Times, citing top US officials, the United States is expected to lift its ban on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks.

President Biden suspended these sales three years ago, criticizing the kingdom’s actions in the Yemen war and expressing concerns about American-made weapons causing civilian casualties. However, following a 2022 UN-brokered truce that has largely held, the US is reconsidering the ban as Riyadh has removed itself from Yemen’s civil war.

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The move signals improving relations between Washington and Riyadh, with the US already indicating its readiness to lift the ban. Despite initial promises to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” due to human rights concerns, including the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Biden’s administration has shifted its stance, particularly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine emphasized the need for Saudi cooperation on energy and Middle Eastern policies.

This comes as top US officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, mentioned that Washington and Riyadh are nearing the finalization of several bilateral deals, including a defense pact and collaboration on Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program. These agreements are part of a broader US-brokered initiative aimed at normalizing Saudi-Israeli relations, contingent on Israel taking steps toward establishing a Palestinian state. 

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