• Iran’s development of its nuclear program represents a danger to the region and the world, Prince Faisal said
• Pompeo also agreed that Iran’s threatening behavior needed to be reined in

Arab News

LONDON: Saudi Arabia and the US agreed that Iran’s destabilizing behavior must be countered and deterred, the Kingdom’s foreign minister said.

Speaking after participating in the first US-Saudi Strategic Dialogue, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said: “The Iranian regime continues to provide financial and material support to terrorist groups including in Yemen where the Houthis have launched 300 Iranian-made ballistic missiles and drones toward the Kingdom.”

Iran’s development of its nuclear and ballistic missile program represents a danger to the region and the world, the foreign minister added.

The dialogue, which aims to strengthen the historic relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia, took place for the first time on Wednesday. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Prince Faisal bin Farhan participated in the talks.

At a joint press conference, Pompeo also agreed that Iran’s threatening behavior needed to be reined in and said it “threatens Saudi Arabia’s security and disrupts global commerce.”

The secretary of state said this was clear from Iran’s attack on Aramco facilities last year and frequent Houthi bombardment of Saudi territory using rockets, drones and “lethal technologies supplied by the Iranian regime.”

Pompeo took the occasion to announce that the US is preparing to acquire a 26 hectare site for a new US embassy in Riyadh.

The embassy, along with the recent opening of a new consulate in Jeddah and the ongoing construction of a new consulate in Dhahran represents a US investment of over $1 billion, he said.

Prince Faisal added that he looked forward to expanding Saudi ties with the US, enhancing institutional cooperation and elevating “our partnership to new highs.”