Saudi King Salman has called for a unified international effort to stop Iran’s support for armed militias, interference in the affairs of other countries, and its nuclear and ballistic programs.
The King said during the first EU-Arab League summit on Sunday being held in Egypt at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, that Tehran’s support for the Houthis in Yemen, and other militias in the region, as well as its aggressive practices and blatant interference in the affairs of other countries, require a unified international stance to force Iran to abide by international law.
He added that the Kingdom stresses the importance of a political solution to the Yemeni crisis on the basis of the Gulf initiative, the results of the Yemeni national dialogue, and Security Council resolution 2216.
“The Kingdom had made great efforts to ensure the success of the Sweden negotiations and called for the follow-up of the implementation of what had been agreed upon in those talks and to hold the Iranian-backed terrorist militias responsible for the situation in Yemen,” the King said at the summit.
The Saudi monarch also described the Palestinian issue a priority among Arab countries and referenced last year’s Arab League Summit in Dhahran which was renamed the “Jerusalem Summit.” He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s steadfast position toward restoring all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
King Salman said that Saudi Arabia, like many other countries, has suffered from terrorism and has spearheaded many international efforts to combat it at all levels. According to the King’s speech, this included efforts in drying up terror groups’ financial resources and stressing the importance of continuing joint action against terror financing and money laundering.
He also spoke on the refugee and migrant crisis, saying that the displacement of people due to wars and conflict remained at the top of pressing humanitarian issues.
“We hope that this summit will help to find solutions for them,” the King said.
He added that Saudi Arabia has provided more than $35 bln in aid to more than 80 countries in the humanitarian, charitable and developmental fields
BY ALARABIYA NEWS
