US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and US State Secretary Antony Blinken have affirmed their countries’ common vision to confront Iran’s destabilizing policies in the region.
The two, who met in Washington on Saturday, reviewed the strategic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States and ways to strengthen them, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Blinken reiterated the US commitment to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s defenses, efforts to counter Iranian threats, and the importance of maintaining strong international support for Ukraine. They also discussed managing pressures in global energy markets stemming from Russia’s invasion.
They discussed the latest developments in Yemen and expressed strong support for the UN-negotiated truce, with Prince Khalid reaffirming Riyadh’s aspirations for the Yemenis “to reach a comprehensive political solution that would move Yemen to peace and development.”
On Thursday, the new United States military commander in the Middle East said that Iran remains the most destabilizing force in the region, calling for coordinated efforts to confront the threats by Iran.
General Erik Kurilla of CENTCOM said that Iran’s uranium enrichment, ballistic missile development, and regional proxies, particularly the Houthis in Yemen, had repeatedly been central to his conversations with America’s strategic partners during his recent tour of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.