Saudi King urges Trump to bring ‘stability’ to Middle East
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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Kurdistan24) – The King of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday said he hoped new United States president-elect Donald Trump would bring “stability” to the Middle East.
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud congratulated Trump on his victory of becoming the 45th President of the United States.
In a message reported by the official Saudi Press Agency, King Salman encouraged the newly elected president to achieve “security and stability” in the region.
“We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide,” King Salman said.
Additionally, the Saudi King recognized the already “historic and tight [relations] between the two friendly countries, that all parties aspire to develop and reinforce.”
The United States and Saudi Arabia have a long relationship dating back decades and rooted in the exchange of Saudi oil for American security.
During Barack Obama’s reign as US President, ties between the Riyadh-based government and Washington began to wobble.
Obama’s hesitancy to get directly involved in the Syrian civil war as well as other regional conflicts worried some Saudi leaders.
Moreover, the Obama administration’s relationship with Saudi rivals Iran regarding a nuclear policy was opposed by some officials in Riyadh.
In January, Washington announced an agreement to lift international sanctions on Iran in exchange for guarantees Tehran would not pursue a nuclear weapons capability.
During his campaign, Trump had said he would work on the “disastrous” nuclear deal with Iran, adding there would be “hell to pay” if the new terms were violated.
“We have an agreement; it’s a horrible agreement. I will make that agreement so tough, and if they break it, they will have hell to pay,” he said.
Trump confirmed his victory in the 2016 race for the US Presidency early Wednesday morning after defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton by 276-218 votes.
