Barack Obama and King Salman Discuss Regional Developments in Riyadh

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, and Salman bin Abdulaziz, the King of Saudi Arabia, held discussions in Riyadh on Wednesday, April 20, addressing regional developments including Iran and global issues. According to the Saudi state news agency, senior officials from both countries were present at the meeting. This meeting comes at a time when relations between Washington and Riyadh have been tumultuous in recent months due to the global powers' nuclear agreement with Iran and the U.S. Senate's efforts to release a report regarding Saudi Arabia's potential role in the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. As reported by the Saudi news agency, the King refrained from sending a high-level delegation to the airport to welcome Barack Obama, with the Governor of Riyadh receiving the U.S. President instead. This contrasts with reports that King Salman personally welcomed high-ranking officials from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries at the airport. According to Reuters, this is Obama's fourth and likely final visit to Saudi Arabia, where he hopes to reassure King Salman and other Arab leaders he will meet on Thursday of America's commitment to their security. Many royal families in the Gulf have privately expressed disappointment with Obama's presidency, viewing it as a period of U.S. retreat from the region, thus allowing Iran's influence to expand. In response, Obama has expressed his desire to encourage Arab countries to reach a form of 'cold peace' with Iran, which could reduce sectarian tensions and allow both sides to focus on the security threat posed by the Islamic State group. Following Obama's low-key arrival in Riyadh, which was not broadcast on television unlike his previous visits, he engaged in a two-hour discussion with King Salman and several Saudi princes and senior officials. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and CIA Director John Brennan accompanied Obama, indicating a strong focus on security issues in discussions with Gulf Arab leaders. Obama is scheduled to participate in the summit of GCC leaders on Thursday. In all member countries of this organization, except Oman, Sunni royal families are in power. They view Iran as a rival Shiite power whose involvement in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen has exacerbated sectarian tensions in the region. This escalation of hostility can be seen in the remarks made by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, on Wednesday, who accused Saudi Arabia of attempting to isolate the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. The U.S. government shares the view of Gulf Arab countries that the Iranian government plays a role in destabilizing the region. However, the nuclear agreement between the U.S. and other global powers with Iran has led Saudi Arabia and its allies to conclude that the U.S. is not addressing their concerns. The Iranian leader stated, 'Even if some corrupt government condemns Hezbollah with oil dollars, so what? It doesn't matter; Hezbollah and its youth shine like the sun and are a source of pride for the Islamic world.' Reuters adds that it is unclear whether U.S. and Saudi leaders discussed the potential passage of a law in the U.S. Congress that could hold Riyadh accountable for the September 11 attacks. A few days ago, the New York Times reported that Saudi Arabia threatened to sell its hundreds of billions of dollars in assets in the U.S. if this law is passed. Obama has expressed his opposition to this draft, stating that it would make the U.S. vulnerable to legal claims from citizens of other countries. He has promised to veto the law if necessary. The September 11 attacks in 2001 were carried out by al-Qaeda, which was based in Afghanistan at the time. Although 15 of the attackers were Saudi citizens, no investigations conducted in the U.S. have found evidence of Saudi government involvement in the attacks. 'Iran's influence' and the battle against the Islamic State group. On the sidelines of Wednesday's meetings, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter discussed countering Iranian influence and the battle against the Islamic State group with his counterparts from Arab countries in the region. They reached agreements on cooperation to improve missile defense systems, train special units, and enhance maritime security, but no new agreements or contracts were announced. The Secretary-General of the GCC stated that member countries' forces, along with the U.S., will conduct joint naval patrols to prevent arms smuggling to Iran. Prior to Obama's trip to Riyadh, multiple meetings took place between senior officials from both sides. Obama and King Salman met in Washington last September, and prior to that, the U.S. President invited GCC leaders to Camp David in May, with several of them not attending. Recently, Barack Obama described some Arab Gulf states and European governments as 'free riders' who demand U.S. intervention without accepting responsibility. In another comment, in response to the question of whether Saudi Arabia is a U.S. ally, he stated, 'It's a complicated issue.' After concluding his visit to Saudi Arabia, Obama is scheduled to meet with leaders from Britain, France, and Italy in Hanover, Germany, on Monday. It appears that the issue of the fight against the Islamic State group and other significant security topics will be among the discussions in these meetings.