A senior Saudi official said the nation’s policy of appeasement is unlikely to work in their favour when dealing with Tehran, adding the only way to get the rogue Middle Eastern country to the negotiating table is to apply maximum pressure and force their hand. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State Adel al-Jubeir said: “We think that appeasement doesn’t work. Actions count, not words. Members of the Iranian government talk, but have no power. “Those who have, like the Revolutionary Guard, don’t want to negotiate.”
This was in answer to a question on French President Emmanuel Macron’s attempts to bring the US and Iran together.
Mr Al-Jubeir told a crowd in Paris: “As far as we’re concerned, maximum pressure is the only way.”
Referring to talks between Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and separatists, he added: “We are trying to reach peace between the Southern Transition Council and the [President Abd-Rabbu Mansour] Hadi government. I think we are close.”
The comments from Saudi Arabia come 48 hours after a belligerent Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he had no idea who was behind the missile attack on an Iranian oil tanker but promised “there would be consequences”.
The tanker – called the Sabiti – was hit by at least two missiles, which Mr Rouhani said had been caught on video.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported the tanker will dock at the Islamic nation’s Kharg Island in the Straits of Hormuz in two days.
The vessel was struck off the coast of Saudi Arabia and some experts believe the attack was a tit-for-tat response to a similar assault on two Saudi oil facilities last month.
Saudi Arabia has not claimed responsibility for the attack on the Iranian tanker.
READ NOW: Saudi Arabia ramps up Iran war fears as Riyadh fumes at ‘disrespect…
The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), which owns the targeted Iranian vessel, confirmed that its hull was hit by two separate explosions off the Saudi port of Jeddah, but made a point of denying reports that the attack had originated from Saudi soil.
Ali Shamkhani, the secretary-general of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said that a committee is investigating the incident to determine culpability.
Both Iran and Saudi Arabia seemed to be closer to talks after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan visited both Tehran and Riyadh last week.
President Rouhani reiterated an Iranian desire to resolve issues in the region through dialogue, despite a flare-up of violence targeting oil facilities in both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Both governments blame each other for the attacks.
He said: “Our two countries emphasised that regional issues could only be resolved through political means and dialogue.
“We openly welcome any goodwill gesture by Pakistan for providing more peace and stability for the whole region and we are ready to assist Pakistan for providing full peace and stability for the whole region.”
However Saudi Arabia remains angered over the attack and any progress that looked to have been made has only created more tension and anger.