RIYADH – Mohammed bin Salman became crown prince of Saudi Arabia a yearago, shaking up the ultra-conservative oil power. Here is a rundown ofdevelopments:
In a royal decree issued on June 21, 2017, King Salman ousts his nephew ascrown prince and installs his 31-year-old son, Mohammed, as his heir.
Widely known as MBS, Prince Mohammed retains his role as defence minister.The move caps a meteoric rise for the young prince.
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It comes at the start of a major fallout with Qatar: Riyadh and three Araballies severe ties with Doha the same month, accusing it of supporting”terrorists” and being too close to Saudi Arabia s archrival Iran. Qatardenies the charges.
Over several days in September 2017 authorities round up at least 20people, including influential clerics and intellectuals, in what iscondemned as a crackdown on dissent by the crown prince.
Around 380 royals, ministers and business tycoons are then arrested inNovember in a dramatic purge led by Prince Mohammed that the governmentsays is a move against corruption.
Many are held for weeks in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Most are releasedafter agreeing significant financial settlements.
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*Reforms*
The monarchy ends the world s only ban on female drivers by announcing inSeptember 2017 that they will be able to take the wheel from June 2018.
It is the most striking of a series of reforms since the installation ofPrince Mohammed, who is also the architect of a wide-ranging plan forsocial and economic change, called Vision 2030, that is approved before hisappointment.
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Other reforms include reopening cinemas and allowing both sexes to attendconcerts. However Saudi women remain under various restrictions and theauthorities are accused of continuing crackdowns on rights activists.
*Crisis in Lebanon*
In November 2017 Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announces in atelevised address from Riyadh that he is resigning, citing Iran s “grip” onhis country.
Saudi Arabia is accused of forcing his hand to make a stand against theinfluence of Iran and its ally in Lebanon, Hezbollah.
Hariri, supported by Saudi Arabia for years, spends two weeks in Riyadhamid speculation he cannot leave, until France intervenes and he withdrawshis resignation.
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*Yemen war*
The crown prince in November 2017 accuses Iran of “direct militaryaggression” by supplying ballistic missiles to rebels in neighbouring Yemen.
Days before, Saudi forces intercepted a ballistic missile near Riyadhinternational airport that was fired by the rebels.
Riyadh entered the Yemeni conflict in 2015 at the head of an Arab militarycoalition supporting the government against the Iran-allied Huthi rebels.
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*Nuclear Iran*
Prince Mohammed says in March 2018 that if Iran develops a nuclear weapon,Riyadh will do so too. In an interview with CBS television, he also likensIran s supreme leader with Hitler, saying he “wants to create his ownproject in the Middle East”.
Riyadh holds deep reservations over the 2015 accord aimed at controllingIran s nuclear ambitions and hails President Donald Trump s announcement inMay that the United States is withdrawing from the deal.
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*Charm offensive*
In March the prince embarks on his first foreign tour as heir, visitingEgypt and Britain — where he lunches with Queen Elizabeth II — andspending two weeks in the United States, where he meets Trump and otherpolitical and industry leaders. He also goes to France and Spain.
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*Opening with Israel*
In what appeared to be another shift, Prince Mohammed says in a magazineinterview in April that Israelis as well as Palestinians “have the right tohave their own land”.
King Salman however later reaffirms Riyadh s “steadfast” support for thePalestinian cause. – APP/AFP