{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Bitter Truth","provider_url":"https:\/\/bittertruth.uk\/en","author_name":"Bitter Truth","author_url":"https:\/\/bittertruth.uk\/en\/author\/sami_bittertruth-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2\/","title":"The Mecca Defence Pact, Saudi Investment in Afghanistan, and the Region\u2019s New Strategic Chessboard - Bitter Truth","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"7PIS3rC5Vq\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bittertruth.uk\/en\/saudi-investment-in-afghanistan\/\"><strong>The Mecca Defence Pact, Saudi Investment in Afghanistan, and the Region\u2019s New Strategic Chessboard<\/strong><\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/bittertruth.uk\/en\/saudi-investment-in-afghanistan\/embed\/#?secret=7PIS3rC5Vq\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;&lt;strong&gt;The Mecca Defence Pact, Saudi Investment in Afghanistan, and the Region\u2019s New Strategic Chessboard&lt;\/strong&gt;&#8221; &#8212; Bitter Truth\" data-secret=\"7PIS3rC5Vq\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/bittertruth.uk\/en\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/bittertruth.uk\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Saudi-Sarmaya-Afghan\u06d4\u06d4-1024x509.png","thumbnail_width":1024,"thumbnail_height":509,"description":"On the chessboard of international politics, certain agreements acquire significance not so much from the words inscribed upon them as from the hour in which they are concluded, the place in which they are signed, the identities of those gathered around the table, and the silences that accompany the ceremony. In diplomacy, a handshake is &hellip;"}