Barack Obama, Saudi’s King Salman to discuss Yemen, Iran nuclear deal

The king is in Washington for his first White House visit since taking the throne in January.

Despite the tensions, the two countries depend on each other on crucial security, business, and economic issues.

Friday’s meeting between President Barrack Obama and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, however, seems to have reassured Saudi Arabia that the new nuclear deal with Iran will still prevent Tehran from building up a nuclear arsenal.

Critics said the deal would empower Iran economically to expand its support for radical militant groups across the region.

Yet Al Jazeera reported Jubeir to have said: “We hope that the Iranians will avail themselves of this opportunity in order to use the openness to the world and the additional income that they receive to fund domestic development”. But its leaders are concerned that lifting sanctions on Iran could allow it to expand its regional influence and further destabilize the Middle East.

In May, King Salman skipped a summit of Gulf Arab leaders at Camp David, which was widely interpreted as a snub for the USA president.

Saudi officials have privately expressed grave misgivings that the nuclear agreement may legitimize their arch-foe Iran.

Since March, the U.S. has been supporting a Saudi-led intervention against Yemen’s Iran-aided Al Houthi rebels, who forced the country’s internationally recognised president into exile.

Mr Obama said that he and King Salman shared concerns about Yemen and the need to restore a functioning government and address the humanitarian situation there.

As western countries profit from the sales of advanced weapons systems to Riyadh – including American and British warships to maintain a blockade on humanitarian aid to Yemen – they turn a blind eye to what many call Saudi war crimes and the obvious violation of human rights under Saudi leadership at home.

And the minister said Saudi Arabia was in “intense” talks with Russian Federation, the United States and Syrian opposition groups about a political accord to end the violence in Syria.

Prior to the Oval Office program, federal government aides said Saudi and US authorities might protect a number of counter-terrorism and combined protection initiatives, authorities stated, with the listing being topped by Iran.

But al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia was working with worldwide organizations to deliver supplies to Yemen.

During their meeting, the leaders discussed forging a “new strategic partnership for the 21st century and how to significantly elevate the relationship between the two countries”, the White House said, noting that they directed their respective officials to explore how to make progress on the matter.