Iran, Yemen and Oil: Topics of Biden’s Conversation with Saudi King
Joe Biden, President of the United States, and King Salman of Saudi Arabia, held a phone conversation on Wednesday, February 9, discussing energy reserves and developments in the Middle East, including Iran and Yemen.
The White House said in a statement: “These two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting stability in the global energy supply.”
Saudi Arabia’s state news agency also reported that King Salman discussed creating balance and stability in the oil market and emphasized the necessity of maintaining the OPEC+ agreement.
OPEC+ agreed last week to continue the process of gradually increasing its oil production, while members of this group maintain a cautious approach to requests from major oil consumers for increased production to control prices.
According to reports, Mr. Biden once again stated that the United States remains committed to supporting Saudi Arabia in defending itself against attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis.
According to the White House, Joe Biden also briefed King Salman on international negotiations to “reinstate restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program.”
The war in Yemen is often viewed as a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, who overthrew the Yemeni government and took control of Sanaa, say they are fighting against a corrupt system as well as foreign invasion.
According to the Saudi news agency, King Salman told Mr. Biden that Saudi Arabia seeks a “political solution” for Yemen.
Joe Biden’s last phone call with King Salman was a year ago and almost coincided with the release of reports by U.S. security agencies about the role of Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist critical of Saudi rulers. Those reports stated that Mohammed bin Salman approved the kidnapping or killing of Mr. Khashoggi.
Source: Radio Farda
