Saudi Arabia supports Donald Trump’s strategy to counter Iran, says Jubeir

UN General Assembly 2018: Saudi foreign minister said his country supports a Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Adel Ahmed Al Jubeir arrives to address the UNGeneral Assembly. Reuters

Saudi foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir addressed the United Nations late on Friday, declaring Riyadh’s support to the Trump administration's new strategy to counter Iran.

Saudi Arabia “supports the new US strategy to counter Iran including its seriousness to address the nuclear issue and ballistic missile program and support for terrorism,” Mr Jubeir told the gathering.

Mr Jubeir opened his speech, however, with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, saying “the Palestinian cause was and remains the central and core issue for my country and the Islamic world.” He emphasised Saudi’s longstanding position “believing in the Palestinian right for establishing a Palestinian independent state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital and based on UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.”

Mr Jubeir committed to a political solution in Yemen based on the GCC initiative, the Yemeni dialogue and UN resolution 2216. But he lambasted “the terrorist Houthi militias affiliated with Iran” and “their launching of Iranian-Manufactured and originated ballistic missiles.” He also renewed Saudi’s commitment to continue humanitarian efforts.

More broadly on Iran, Mr Jubeir said Saudi Arabia “supports the new US strategy to counter Iran” and argued that achieving peace and stability in the Middle East requires deterring Iran whom he accused of “establishing terrorist armed militias, supplying them with ballistic missiles, assassinating diplomats, and attacking diplomatic missions in addition to inciting sectarianism and interfering in regional states’ affairs.”

Addressing the Qatar crisis, Mr Jubeir it is “not acceptable for Qatar to continue on a path” that “supports terrorism and harbours extremism and not committing to Riyadh agreement pledges from 2013 and its supplement in 2014.”

“There was no other choice but to boycott it,” he told the UN General Assembly.

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The Saudi chief diplomat reiterated his commitment to UN resolution 2254 on Syria, and a political solution based on Geneva agreement. He said Riyadh has worked to unify the opposition and supports a unified, secure and stable Syria rejecting foreign intervention or attempts to divide the country.

On Libya, Mr Jubeir said his country supports the Sukheirat agreement and UN efforts led by envoy Ghassan Salame.

Mr Jubeir highlighted Saudi’s success story with Ethiopia and Eritrea. “Saudi is committed to peaceful resolution to conflicts” references brokering peace treaty between those two countries signed this month in Jeddah.