Iran's meddling in the internal affairs of the countries in the region is a cause for distress and instability, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir here today. Speaking at a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, Al-Jubeir said Iran was planting terrorist cells in Saudi Arabia and the region, in spite of the Kingdom's sincere efforts to establish good relations with Tehran. On the Kingdom's relations with France, he said the two countries had more or less identical views on various issues. He noted that the Saudi-French relations have been flourishing since 1926 and are constantly developing. The Saudi minister valued the historical role of France in Lebanon and hailed its stand towards the Iraqi and Syrian crises. He noted the Kingdom's support for any effort to bring peace to Syria. Regarding Saudi-American relations, Al-Jubeir said, "We look positively to the future of US-Saudi relations. We look forward to working with the Trump administration to resolve the region's problems." Commenting on the situation in the region, Al-Jubeir said the Kingdom has always been extending a hand of friendship to all neighboring countries. Bahrain, as a brotherly country, had asked Saudi Arabia and the UAE to provide support, and it has been a duty to do so, he said. Referring to Yemen, Al-Jubeir said intervention in this brotherly neighboring country was in response to a request made by the legitimate government in Sanaa. They had called for help to prevent the takeover of the country by a group loyal to Iran and Hezbollah. In fact, the problems began in the country since the Khomeini revolution. It is time that Iran changes its policies and abides by international laws and believes in good neighborly relations, he said. For his part, the French Foreign Minister said the Kingdom and France were determined to defeat terrorism in the region. His talks in Riyadh covered the challenges facing the region and a number of issues of joint interest. He reaffirmed his country's support to UN efforts to reach a political solution in Yemen, and pointed to the need for a political solution that includes all affected by Daesh terror. He added, "We are waiting for the Trump administration's stand on the fight against terrorism and the Palestinian cause. We do not interfere in the affairs of the United States, but Washington is a superpower and its policies have an influence on the world."
