Although Mohammed bin Salman's promotion to crown prince had long been expected among those who follow the royal family closely, the timing was a surprise, and puts the kingdom's future in relatively untested hands. Mohammed bin Salman replaces his cousin, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a veteran security chief who led the Saudi campaign against Islamic State and al Qaeda, at a time when Riyadh faces heightened tensions with Qatar and Iran and is locked into a war in Yemen. His appointment may make Saudi policy more hawkish against arch-rival Iran and other Gulf rivals such as Qatar, increasing volatility in an already unstable region, analysts say. The prince is seen as the new public face of Saudi Arabia: He’s young, he’s charismatic, he’s ambitious,” said Fawaz Gerges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics. “He appeals to many young Saudis, who see in him an image of themselves. If you travel in the kingdom, his image is everywhere.”
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