Jubeir Calls Reuters Report on Bin Salman 'Ridiculous'; Reuters: We Stand by Our Report

Immediately after Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, deemed a recent Reuters report about the Saudi Crown Prince as 'ridiculous' and laughable, the news agency announced that 'we stand by our report.' On Wednesday, the Saudi Foreign Minister also reacted to the possibility of sanctions against the leaders of his country, stating that King Salman and his Crown Prince are considered a red line for Riyadh, and their positions will not be allowed to be undermined. In an interview with Liz Doust, a reporter for the BBC, Adel al-Jubeir stated that the Saudi government had no role in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, claiming it was the act of 'rogue agents' who 'abused' their positions, but they will be punished. Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post and a critic of the Saudi Crown Prince, went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to register his marriage but never exited the building. In response to a question regarding requests from U.S. Congress members for sanctions against the Crown Prince, the Saudi Foreign Minister said: 'King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are considered our red line, and any harm to their positions or calls for their removal will not be tolerated, as they represent the people of Saudi Arabia.' In this context, Adel al-Jubeir also dismissed reports about efforts by some members of the Saudi royal family to prevent Mohammed bin Salman from ascending to the throne as 'ridiculous.' In an interview with CNBC, he labeled the Reuters report about dissatisfaction among Saudi princes and their desire to remove the Crown Prince as 'fabricated and unacceptable.' Reuters immediately responded, asserting confidence in the accuracy of its report. Recently, Reuters cited three sources close to the Saudi court, reporting that whispers of removing Mohammed bin Salman from the Crown Prince position had begun within the royal family following Khashoggi's murder (after King Salman's death). Adel al-Jubeir rejected these reports, stating that the Saudi monarchy is committed to its leadership. The Washington Post, the newspaper where Jamal Khashoggi wrote, claimed last week that the CIA concluded that Mohammed bin Salman ordered Khashoggi's murder. However, several American lawmakers and many analysts in international media have identified Mohammed bin Salman as the mastermind behind this murder. Recently, Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Donald Trump in Congress, stated on Sunday that Mohammed bin Salman played a destructive role in U.S.-Saudi relations. Mr. Graham told NBC News: 'I hate to say this because I had high hopes for him to implement the necessary reforms in Saudi Arabia. But as far as Lindsey Graham knows, that ship has sunk.'