Adel al-Jubeir, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, stated on Wednesday, May 8, that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia will also pursue the development of atomic weapons. In an interview with CNN, when asked what Saudi Arabia would do if Iran resumes its nuclear weapons program, he said: 'We will do whatever is necessary to defend our people. We have made it very clear that if Iran achieves the capability to produce nuclear weapons, we will do everything we can and take similar action.' In response to al-Jubeir's statements, the CNN reporter asked if this meant pursuing a military nuclear program and acquiring atomic weapons, to which the Saudi Foreign Minister replied: 'That is what we mean.' Al-Jubeir also supported President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the nuclear agreement with Iran, stating: 'In our opinion, this nuclear agreement is a flawed agreement.' He added that this agreement does not address Iran's ballistic missile program and does not deal with Iran's support for terrorism. The Saudi government also issued a statement supporting Trump's decision on Wednesday. The Saudi statement noted that Riyadh had previously supported the nuclear agreement with Iran because 'it believed that something had to be done to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and the world.' However, the statement accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of using the economic benefits from the lifting of sanctions to support its destabilizing activities in the region, particularly the development of ballistic missiles and support for terrorist groups in the region such as Hezbollah and Houthi militants. In recent years, Iran and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly accused each other of supporting 'terrorism.' The Saudi king and crown prince have often referred to Iran as 'the greatest enemy' of Saudi Arabia, while Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has described Saudi Arabia as 'the milk cow' and 'a Western mercenary.'
Al-Jubeir: If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia will seek atomic weapons as well
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir warned that Saudi Arabia would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran develops them. This statement comes in the context of heightened tensions following the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran, which Saudi Arabia deems flawed. The rhetoric underscores the escalating arms race and regional security concerns in the Middle East.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Saudi Arabia will pursue nuclear weapons if Iran acquires them, says Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.
- Adel al-Jubeir announce Saudi Arabia
- Saudi government support U.S. withdrawal from nuclear agreement
- Saudi government accuse Iran
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Saudi Arabia may pursue nuclear weapons if Iran develops them.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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