RIYADH: Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former Saudi intelligence chief and former ambassador to Washington and London, warned in Washington on Wednesday that any attempt by US President Donald Trump to strike a deal with Russia and Iran over Syria would be a most disastrous thing.
Speaking on “Rebuilding Alliances, Containing Adversaries,” at the 70th annual conference of the Middle East Institute in Washington, in which prominent Middle Eastern and American experts and foreign policy practitioners participated to discuss the challenges facing the new US administration as it sets its Middle East agenda, the prince said Trump has a duty to revive the US relations with its allies in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, in order to be better able to fight terrorism in the region.
Prince Turki also called on Trump not to scrap the nuclear deal with Iran, noting that it provides the international community with 15 years of respite and is a means of “policing” Tehran.
“I would rather see that this nuclear deal becomes a first step in ridding the Middle East of nuclear weapons, including those of Israel,” he said.
“We want peace in Saudi Arabia, he said, adding that Iran can be a constructive player, if it wants to, but that is something Iranians themselves ought to demand of their leadership.
“Trump should get together with America’s friends in the Middle East to stop the “biggest terrorist, Syrian President Bashar Assad,” Prince Turki said.
He also urged the real estate mogul to “pack his bags” and visit US allies in the region before his induction in January.
Prince Turki Al-Faisal: Iran can be a constructive player, ‘if it wants to’
Prince Turki Al-Faisal: Iran can be a constructive player, ‘if it wants to’
Saudi Arabia announces new financial support to the Yemeni government
RIYADH: Saudi Ambassador to Yemen and Supervisor of the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber announced that the Kingdom, under the directives of its leadership, has provided new support to the Yemeni government's budget, aimed at paying the salaries of state employees in all sectors.
In a post on X, Al-Jaber stated that this support complements a package of development projects and initiatives, amounting to SR1.9 billion, announced on Wednesday. The package includes provision of necessary petroleum derivatives to operate power plants, which will contribute to improving the living standards of people in Yemen and alleviating daily burdens on them.
Al-Jaber’s post emphasized, in particular, that all salaries of military and security forces linked to the the higher military committee linked to the Saudi led Coalition will be paid as of Sunday.
The post is likely relate to Several Media reports which have suggested that disgraced former Southern Transitional Council (STC) chief Aidaroos Al Zubaidi — who has now fled Yemen — was taking advantage of military personnel and withholding salaries as means of pressure. Al-Zubaidi is wanted by the Yemeni government for acts of high treason and corruption.
The ambassador emphasized that these steps come within the framework of supporting the Yemeni government's efforts to implement the economic reform program, which aims to achieve financial and economic stability and enhance the state's ability to meet its basic obligations.
