Saudi Arabia expressed its concerns regarding the recent attacks on oil tankers, King Salman has called for two urgent Arab summits later this month to discuss the situation in the region amid tensions with Iran.
Saudi Arabia and its rival Iran’s relations worsened after attacks on oil tankers last weekend. In the light of the latest developments, Saudi ruler on May 18 called for leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to meet for the emergency summits in Mecca on May 30.
The Saudi close ally UAE welcomed King Salman’s call to convene the Mecca summits and said the “critical circumstances” in the Middle East called for a united stand by Arab nations in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere.
The upcoming summit’s agenda will include an attack on four commercial vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and a series of armed drone attacks on oil production sites near Riyadh. According to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, discussion of the aggressions and their repercussions on the region would be extremely important. the official accused Iran of seeking to destabilize the region and urged the international community to take responsibility to stop Tehran from doing so.
Iran has denied it was involved in the attack on the vessels. Yemen-based Houthi rebels, who are supported by Tehran, have claimed responsibility for the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi top diplomat also said his country “does not want a war in the region nor does it seek that.”
“It will do what it can to prevent this war and, at the same time, it reaffirms that in the event the other side chooses war, the kingdom will respond with all force and determination, and it will defend itself and its interests,” Jubeir said.
While King Salman urges for the summits, the Crown Prince held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about efforts to enhance security in the region.
