RIYADH — Saudi Arabia on Thursday denounced Iranian violations of Iraq's sovereignty and renewed its call to all the concerned parties to show restraint. The Kingdom also underscored its keenness on not escalating the situation as well as to maintain the security and stability of Iraq and the region, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The appeal was made within the framework of the Kingdom's follow-up of the events in Iraq about which it had issued statements earlier, and the developments that were represented by Iran's targeting of two Iraqi military bases where the International Coalition Forces are present to fight Daesh (the so called IS), the statement added. Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Khalid Bin Salman tweeted that "the Kingdom and its leadership always stand by Iraq and its people, and will do everything in its power to spare it the danger of war and conflict between external parties. We wish Iraqi people prosperity after what they had suffered from the ravages in the past." "Everyone, who loves Iraq, today wants it to avert the disturbances and all that negatively affect its security and stability, as well as to arouse the determination of its people to strengthen their role in the Arab world so as to achieve the status that would enable them to benefit from the capabilities and energies that God has endowed them," Prince Khalid added. In his tweet, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said that it is high time today for Iraq, the sisterly Arab country, to have the support of the wise Arab sons to rally with it to avert the war and not to be a battlefield, of which it could be the biggest loser. "The Kingdom would always stand by it, with all efforts to achieve security and stability for Iraq and enable it to achieve the aspirations of its people." On his part, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir said the Kingdom looks at the situation in Iraq with keenness and care, and works to guard this country from sliding into fighting and war, and enables its sons to enjoy benefits of development, prosperity and security that they deserve. "The Kingdom will stand by Iraq to overcome all threats to its security, stability and belonging to its Arabism," he added.
