United States and Saudi Arabia reiterate the need for Iran not to acquire nuclear weapons | NOW

The United States and Saudi Arabia believe it is very important that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. This is stated in a joint statement released by the Saudi state news agency after President Joe Biden’s visit.

Biden has resumed negotiations to revive the Iran nuclear deal. So far they have not succeeded. Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, withdrew the United States from the treaty in 2018.

In 2015, Iran accepted a six-power proposal to limit and monitor its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

Since Washington pulled out of the deal, the country has enriched more uranium than expected. Biden recently said he was prepared to use force against Iran to prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons, but only as a “last resort”.

The statement also said that the United States will continue to support the Saudis on security, defense and “external threats”.

The Saudi government and Iran severed ties in 2016. Riyadh and Tehran are diametrically opposed in the support they provide to different parties to conflicts in the Middle East, including in Yemen and Syria.