Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has said Iran is promoting terrorism and occupying lands which are not the features of a country that seeks to improve its relations with its neighbours.
He made the statements while addressing a joint press conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry at the Riyadh Airbase on Thursday, reports the Arab News.
Accusing Iran of meddling in the affairs of the Arab world, he said: “Tehran today promotes terrorism (and) it occupies lands ... these are not the features of a country that seeks to improve its relations with its neighbours.”
He also reminded Kerry that the GCC leaders had voiced their concerns time and again about Tehran’s covert support to the Syrian regime.
Talking about Iranian nuclear negotiations, Prince Saud said the Kingdom had extended support to the negotiations between Iran and P+5 bloc of countries.
“But, the Kingdom also supports a strong international inspection to ensure that Iran is not seeking to manufacture or possess nuclear weapons,” he added.
Giving detailed account of the problems posed by Iran, the prince said Iran's involvement in the push being made by Iraqi forces alongside militias to retake the Iraqi city of Tikrit from the Islamic State was a prime example of what worries Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.
Prince Saud said: “Iran was taking over Iraq.”
He also said: “Saudi Arabia, which is part of the coalition, stresses the need to provide military means and support required to face this challenge on the ground.”
Reiterating the Kingdom’s support to Yemen's government, the foreign minister said: “The Saudi support to Yen President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is in line with the support and policies expressed by the GCC, the Arab League and the UN Security Council.”
Meanwhile, he renewed the call for an independent Palestinian state.
Kerry called on Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and discussed key regional issues, including the Iranian nuclear negotiations.
The talks between Kerry and King Salman mainly focused on bilateral and regional issues, including an emerging nuclear deal with Iran, Syria and Iran’s role in Iraq.
When asked about Syrian regime's responsible in regional turmoil, Kerry said: “Military pressure may be needed to oust Syria’s President Bashar Assad ... He has lost any semblance of legitimacy, but we have no higher priority than disrupting and defeating the IS and other terror networks.”
Kerry’s visit to Saudi Arabia follows three days of talks this week with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Switzerland aimed at persuading Iran to restrain its nuclear enrichment program.
On Yemen, Kerry stated that the US supports “the peace process led by the UN” and within the framework of the GCC initiative for Yemen.
The UN-mediated talks, that have failed to progress substantially of late, are aimed at breaking the political stalemate between the Houthis and the legitimate faction led by Yemeni President Hadi, he added.
