Sun - 24 Jan 2021 - 12:39 AM ،،،
The Riyadh Agreement was a “fundamental building block” for reaching a political solution in Yemen, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Bin Abdullah said in an interview with Al Arabiya News Channel on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia had introduced the Riyadh Agreement in November 2019 to try to end the dispute in the country’s south that emerged in 2017.
“The Biden administration will see that we have common goals with regards to the situation in Yemen,” Prince Faisal said, in reference to the ongoing crisis in Yemen.
But, the Saudi diplomat warned, the Iran-backed Houthi militia must realize that is in the best interest of Yemen to put an end to the fighting.
“The Houthis will facilitate reaching a solution if they decide that the interest of Yemen is the most important,” Prince Faisal said. He added that the recent US designation of the Yemeni militia as a terrorist organization was justified.
Regarding the U.S.-Saudi relations, Prince Faisal said that his country is optimistic about its ties with the United States under the new administration headed by President Joe Biden.
Prince Faisal added that the appointments made by Biden - the former VP under President Barack Obama - “showed understanding of the common issues.”
With respect to Tehran, Prince Faisal called on the Iranian regime to change its mentality and focus on its citizens’ well-being.
“And calls by Iran for dialogue were part of an effort to divert attention away from Tehran’s own crises,” the Saudi FM said. “They are not serious ... our hand is extended to Iran for peace, but it does not commit.”
With Al Arabiya News Channel