Kerry and Al-Jubeir: Washington and Riyadh Relations Remain Strong

On Thursday, January 13, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir met in London. This meeting occurred ahead of the announcement of the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement and amid rising tensions between Riyadh and Tehran. According to AFP, Kerry and Al-Jubeir emphasized that despite recent tensions over U.S. policy towards Iran, the relations between Washington and Riyadh are 'still strong.' Mark Toner, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, stated hours before the meeting that the two foreign ministers would discuss a range of bilateral and international issues, including 'Iran, Yemen, and Syria.' Saudi Arabia, which has disputes with Tehran over Yemen and Syria, is concerned about Iran's strengthened position following the implementation of the JCPOA and the lifting of sanctions, and is dissatisfied with Barack Obama's policy towards Iran. AFP reports that the purpose of Kerry's meeting with Al-Jubeir was also to 'rebuild trust' between the two countries. Kerry began his Thursday dialogue with the Saudi foreign minister by stating, 'Both sides agree that the friendship between the two countries is central to their efforts in the region, and this relationship is important.' The U.S. Secretary of State then added, without naming Iran, 'We also understand the challenges that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region feel regarding interference in their internal affairs.' He emphasized, 'We want to see if there is a way forward to resolve some of these problems without heading towards a larger conflict, as the last thing we need in this region is more conflict.' Kerry also mentioned, 'I know that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia agrees with this view. However, they want some simple actions to be taken that would help prevent such a conflict.' In response, Al-Jubeir stated, 'Given the existing challenges, whether in Syria, Yemen, terrorism, Libya, or Iranian interference in regional affairs, I believe the most effective way to resolve them is through friendship and unity with America.' Following harsh verbal attacks from Iranian officials against the Saudi government in protest of the execution of Sheikh Baqir al-Nimr, a Shiite cleric critical of the Saudi government, and the subsequent attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad, Riyadh severed its diplomatic and economic ties with Tehran. Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, condemned the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites in Iran, describing Riyadh's reaction as 'irrational' and its strategy as 'continuing and escalating tensions in the region' and attempting to prevent the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement. Simultaneously, some hardliners close to Ayatollah Khamenei and commanders of the IRGC have identified the U.S. as being behind these tensions. The Iranian Minister of Interior has also considered the 'hypothesis of hidden hands' behind the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites as plausible. Meanwhile, reports indicate that after Saudi Arabia announced the severance of relations with Tehran, John Kerry called Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, urging both sides to show restraint. Russian media also reported a phone call between Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, in which both sides called for a reduction of tensions between Tehran and Riyadh.