Saudi’s stance on Iran is ‘very clear,’ no back channels: Al-Jubeir

RIYADH (Agencies): Saudi Arabia’s stance on Iran is “very clear” and the Kingdom does not have a back channel with the country, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said on Wednesday.

“There is no back channel with Iran, because our position with regards to Iran is very clear. I just said it to you publicly. What we want Iran to abide by the rules … we want Iran to respect international law, we want Iran to respect the sovereignty of other countries,” al-Jubeir said.

The minister’s comments came during a joint press conference with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide after they held a meeting to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.

Al-Jubeir also said that he had spoken to Norway’s foreign minister about the new investment opportunities that are becoming readily available in the Kingdom, as the country continues to implement its Vision 2030 reform plan.

Vision 2030 is a set of reforms, introduced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that aim to diversify and improve Saudi Arabia’s economy.

“We are going to open up new areas for investments and reduce our reliance on oil. And [we will] open areas such as tourism, the creation of entertainment” al-Jubeir said.

“We seek to empower women and the youth, we seek to instill cultural innovation and technology, tolerance, and moderation, so that the population, 70 percent of them under the age of 30, should have the ability to realize their hopes, dreams, and ambitions.”

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that the United States will not stand by without taking action in response to Iran’s ongoing support for attacks on American outposts in Iraq.

In the past few days, Iraqi terror groups likely backed by Iran have launched yet another series of strikes on the U.S. embassy in Iraq. The latest round of missiles reportedly landed inside the U.S. embassy compound, while at least one other struck near a coalition base.

Responding to questions from the Washington Free Beacon on his plane en route to Saudi Arabia, Pompeo said the Trump administration will not allow Iranian-backed strikes to become the new normal for American outposts in war-torn Iraq.

“I never broadcast what our response may be in advance, but we’re mindful that it cannot become ordinary course that the Iranians through their proxy forces in Iraq are putting the lives of Americans at risk,” Pompeo said. “This can’t be ordinary, this can’t be routine. There, in the end, has to be accountability connected to those very serious attacks.”

Pompeo said the U.S. government continues to investigate the latest round of strikes to determine who exactly launched them.