G7 Diplomats Discuss Waning Influence Amid Changing Middle East.

The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers will discuss their strategy in the Middle East during talks in Japan next week, as Western powers scramble for influence amid strategic shifts in the region. The US and its European allies were caught off guard after China brokered a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran to revive diplomatic relations, while the Kingdom is also seeking to thaw bilateral ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Some Middle East allies, including Saudi Arabia, have questioned US security commitments to the region and have opted to diversify their relationships, including with China.