CUSTODIAN of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman told US President Barack Obama that he hoped a final nuclear deal between world powers and Iran would strengthen regional and world security, official media said. In a phone call with Obama on Thursday, Salman “expressed his hope that a final binding deal would be reached to reinforce the stability and security of the region and the world,” the SPA news agency said. A framework agreement aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear drive was clinched Thursday after marathon talks in Switzerland. It marked a major breakthrough in a 12-year standoff between Iran and the West, which has long feared Tehran wants to build an atomic bomb. The leaders also discussed recent developments in Yemen as Obama reiterated the United States' full commitment to sustain Saudi Arabia's capabilities in defending itself. Iran and Saudi Arabia have had troubled relations in recent years after taking different sides in the Syrian civil war. Relations have been further strained by the conflict raging in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has waged more than a week of airstrikes against Iran-backed Shiite rebels. Obama said Thursday he had invited Gulf leaders to a spring summit at Camp David to discuss security cooperation in the region. Saudi Arabia fears that if too much of Iran's nuclear program is left intact it will still have the ability to obtain an atomic bomb, and there are concerns that Riyadh could seek its own nuclear capability. The Kingdom's former intelligence chief, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, warned last month that “whatever comes out of these talks, we will want the same,” specifically uranium enrichment capability. — With input from Agencies
