Kerry visits Riyadh to soothe fears of stronger Iran under nuclear deal
Convincing Saudi Arabia to accept any agreed nuclear deal is important to President Barack Obama because he needs Riyadh to work closely with Washington on a host of regional policies.
By REUTERSJohn Kerry arrives in Israel, July 23(photo credit: MATTY STERN, US EMBASSY TEL AVIV)
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Riyadh on Thursday to try to reassure King Salman that any nuclear deal with Iran will be in Saudi interests, despite the kingdom's fears that it may boost Tehran's backing for Shi'ite Muslim groups in the region.Convincing Saudi Arabia to accept any agreed nuclear deal is important to President Barack Obama because he needs Riyadh to work closely with Washington on a host of regional policies and to maintain its role as a moderating influence in oil markets.While the main critics of the US push for a nuclear deal with Iran are Israel and Congressional Republicans, Sunni Muslim powerhouse Saudi Arabia is also concerned that an accord would allow Iran to devote more cash and energy to Shi'ite proxies in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, escalating conflicts.Earlier, Kerry met Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Montreux, Switzerland, as they try to meet a late March deadline to achieve a framework nuclear agreement.In Saudi Arabia, he will meet with the new king, deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef and foreign ministers of the six Gulf Cooperation Council nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.The main purpose is to brief them on the state of the Iran talks and to make the case that a diplomatic solution to the long-festering crisis over Iran's atomic program will make them more secure rather than less.
