RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Wednesday held talks with US envoy to Iran Robert Malley in the capital, Riyadh, on ways to curb Iran’s violations and destabilizing regional activity.
During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral cooperation between the Kingdom and the US on the Iranian nuclear deal and ongoing international negotiations to revive the agreement.
Tehran has stopped honoring some of its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal and has been holding up negotiations aimed at reviving the landmark accord that scales back its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, sparking concern from the UN nuclear watchdog agency.
Prince Faisal and Malley also spoke about intensifying joint efforts to address Iranian violations of international agreements and treaties.
The two sides also discussed the importance of strengthening joint action to stop Iranian support for terrorist militias that threaten security and stability in the Middle East and the world.
Malley has said Washington is ready to consider “all options” if Iran is unwilling to return to the 2015 deal, while Prince Faisal last week warned of the “dangerous” acceleration of Iran’s nuclear activities.
Earlier on Wednesday, Malley met with Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir.
Meanwhile, the US envoy will meet British, French and German diplomats in Paris on Friday to discuss stalled efforts to get Iran to resume compliance with the nuclear deal, three diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.
While saying for weeks it would return to talks “soon,” Iran has yet to announce a date to resume discussions in Vienna about reviving the pact.
The diplomatic sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Malley would meet with the political directors of the British, French and German foreign ministries, a group know as the E3, in Paris on Friday.
One of the sources said he hoped the meeting would provide some clarity on how world powers might act in the coming weeks if Iran continued to “buy time” and delay returning to Vienna. US officials have said time is running out to revive the deal.
(With Reuters)
