Saudi FM echoes Israeli, French concerns over Iran nuclear talks
Speaking at a conference with Britain's foreign secretary, Saudi top diplomat also suggests Riyadh may involve itself in Yemen if Iranian proxies do not cede power to the government.
By JPOST.COM STAFFSaud al-Faisal(photo credit: REUTERS)
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal made comments critical of any potential deal concerning Iran's nuclear program, insisting that the Islamic Republic not get "deals it does not deserve," Al-Arabiya reported on Monday.Speaking beside Britain's own Foreign Secretary, Phillip Hammond, in Riyadh, the Saudi Kingdom's top diplomat was referring to the ongoing negotiations between France, the United States and four other world powers and Iran, taking place in Lausanne, Switzerland.Al-Faisal's remark echoes Israel's own reservations on the possibility of a "bad deal" with Iran, and comes in light of France's statements downplaying what was seen as progress in the talks.“We are discussing many issues and nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,”, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told the press last week, adding that "there won't be an accord if the Iranians don’t back down."Riyadh's foreign minister also sharply attacked Iran for its involvement in its own backyard, voicing deep anxiety over the “dangerous escalation in Yemen” which it see's as a result of Iranian meddling.“The Houthi coup threatens the security and stability of Yemen, the region and the world,” al-Faisal said, referring to the Shi'ite Houthi militia which is considered by Saudi Arabia to be an Iranian proxy.“If the Houthi coup does not end peacefully, we will take the necessary measures for this crisis to protect the region”, he added, suggesting what can be seen as a possible military intervention in the ongoing crisis to the Saudi Kingdom's south.Al-Faisal did however suggest that planned talks in Riyadh, which are aimed at solving Yemen's current troubles, are open to representatives from the Shi'ite group.
