Iran nuclear deal will work, says Saudi ruler in boost for Obama

Al Jubeir also said King Salman and Obama discussed a plan to improve American military cooperation with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries that was announced after a Camp David summit in May that King Salman declined to attend.

“We’re determined that our Gulf friends will have the political and the military support that they need“, Secretary of State John Kerry said during a speech on Wednesday.

And Obama said Friday’s discussions would canvass the importance of implementing the nuclear agreement.

Abdulaziz brought in his own gold furniture to turn the posh hotel into somewhat of a home-away-from-home while he is in town to talk with Obama about the Iran nuclear deal. In addition to Saudi Arabia, the GCC includes Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The agreement will provide weapons for the Saudi military effort against Islamic State and Yemen, according to senior administration officials Thursday.

“Washington should not get free support for the deal unless they commit more to current Saudi concerns in the region“, said Khashoggi of the al-Arab channel.

These meetings normally end in “some kind of public statement that puts as positive a spin as possible on the meeting”, said Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and global Studies.

The Obama administration has notified Congress informally that it wants to resupply Saudi Arabia with thousands of precision-guided munitions, according to two people familiar with the proposal.

Iran and Yemen topped the agenda as the king visited America for the first time since coming to the throne in January. “And this is significant, and we must always affirm that and deepen such relations”.

The two leaders asserted that any meaningful political transition would entail the departure of Bashar Al-Assad who has lost legitimacy to lead Syria.

Protestors on Friday also called on the Saudi king to respect human rights inside Saudi Arabia.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was satisfied with these assurances after having spent the last two months consulting with our allies in Europe and other places with regards to this agreement”. “The Saudi view is that the US has been too passive in both Yemen and Syria”. Following the nuclear deal with Iran, reports mentioned diplomatic tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United States amid Saudi apprehension on Iran’s (Shiite) influence in the Middle East politics.

Obama acknowledged only that the two sides had much to discuss.

“The purchase of the PAC-3 missiles will support current and future defense missions and promote stability within the region,” the Pentagon said, referring to the third-generation Patriot counter-missiles cleared for sale to Riyadh.

Officials said the administration would also express concerns during meetings with the Saudis about civilian casualties that have occurred in Yemen, where the Saudis are conducting airstrikes to support the government in a civil war against the Houthis.