Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said on Tuesday that the Kingdom is working with the United States to ensure the safety and security of global maritime navigation.

He also said that Saudi Arabia is discussing with Washington issues that concern the two countries, including Iran, and its obstruction to navigation, pointing out that Tehran poses a threat to international maritime operations in the Arabian Gulf.

Prince Faisal made the remarks during the Aspen Security Forum webinar. The three-day-long webinar which began on Tuesday and will run until Aug. 5 (Thursday) is hosting high-level government leaders and former officials for discussions on the latest global developments.

Speaking about Iran’s nuclear program during the webinar, Prince Faisal said: "The biggest challenge is to reach an agreement that will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon."

The Saudi foreign minister added that Iran is a negative actor in the region and it provides the Houthi militia with weapons to threaten navigation, and the militia is continuing to target civilians in Saudi Arabia and Yemen despite ceasefire offers.

He stressed that it has become clear that the Houthis prefer a military solution in Yemen, stressing the need for the Houthis to accept dialogue to be part of Yemen's future.

On US-Saudi Arabia relations under the Biden administration, Prince Faisal said: “We continue to have robust dialogue across all US administrations” including on regional security and climate change.

With regard to relations with China, the Saudi foreign minister said: “It is important to work out the (US-China) differences in a positive way. The global economy can’t handle a complete breakdown in relations between the two biggest economies.”

On the fight against terrorism, he said that Saudi Arabia has become one of the key players in countering terrorism and terror financing. "We need to remain vigilant."

Highlighting the achievements of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030’s goals, Prince Faisal said: “We believe we will achieve the targets of Vision 2030 on time.”

"Tourism, entertainment, arts, and culture are having a transformative effect on the public space in Riyadh.”

Regarding Qatar, he said that the two countries are working jointly on the Gulf Cooperation Council for regional prosperity.