Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud said on Tuesday he sees an emboldened Iran acting with increased malign intent in the region in an appearance at a virtual gathering of the Aspen Security Forum.
“All around the region, Iran continues to be emboldened,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan said. “Iran is extremely active in the region with its negative activity, whether it’s continuing to supply the Houthis with weapons or endangering shipping in the Arabian Gulf, which we have got reports coming in today that may indicate additional activity there.”
Tehran is also contributing to the political crisis that continues to undermine Lebanon’s economy, he added.
According to Reuters, Prince Faisal bin Farhan “also repeated Riyadh’s stance that it could live with a ‘longer and stronger’ version of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers if it ensured Tehran never obtained nuclear arms know-how.
“We certainly support a deal with Iran as long as that deal ensures that Iran will not now or ever gain access to nuclear weapons technology,” he said. “But that would require (Iran) engaging in the region as a state actor in a normal way…, not supporting militias, not sending weapons to armed groups, and most importantly, giving up a nuclear program which might be used…to develop nuclear weapons.”
Also during the event, Richard Engel asked Prince Faisal bin Farhan, “on the anniversary of 9/11, do you have a message for the United States?” The Saudi foreign minister responded saying that Saudi Arabia “has become one of the key players in countering terrorism and terror financing.”
“We need to remain vigilant,” he added.
