Saudi King Salman targets Iran in UN debut, calls for 'firm international position'

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz attacked arch-rival Iranian regime during his debut at the 75th session of United Nations General Assembly on September 23. The 85-year-old monarch called for a united front against Tehran to stop it from procuring weapons of mass destruction, echoing the US position on 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are locked in several proxy wars in the region, including the civil war in Iran where the Saudi-led coalition is fighting a bloody war with Tehran-backed Houthi rebels. The Arab nation has also blamed Iran for last year’s drone attack on Saudi oil facilities. In a pre-recorded statement at the UNGA, King Salman accused Iran of exploiting the nuclear deal to “create its terrorist networks.”

“A comprehensive solution and a firm international position are required,” King Salman said.

“Our experience with the Iranian regime has taught us that partial solutions and appeasement did not stop its threats to international peace and security,” he added.

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US sanctions on Iran

The United States, a strong ally of Saudi Arabia, unilaterally declared the return of all sanctions relaxed under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) and an indefinite extension of arms embargo which is set to expire on October 18. It has also imposed fresh sanctions on Iran’s defence ministry and other individuals allegedly involved in its nuclear program, asserting its declaration that all UN sanctions have been restored.

However, the European signatories of the JCPoA stated that the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and has no legal standing to trigger snapback. In a joint statement, Britain, France, and Germany said that they have worked tirelessly to preserve the nuclear agreement and remain committed to doing so. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the United States can impose “neither negotiations nor war” on the Islamic Republic.

“Iran is not a bargaining chip in US elections and domestic policy...any US administration after the upcoming (US) elections will have no choice but to surrender to the resilience of the Iranian nation,” Rouhani told the UNGA in a video message.

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(Image credit: AP)