Pompeo visits Saudi Arabia as U.S. prods Iran for talks

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Saudi Arabia's king on Monday on a visit to key Gulf allies amid heightened tensions with Tehran after President Donald Trump called off a military strike to retaliate for Iran's downing of a U.S. drone.

The top U.S. diplomat had told reporters before departing on the trip to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that Washington wanted talks with Tehran, even as it planned to impose new economic sanctions.

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"We'll be talking with them about how to make sure that we are all strategically aligned, and how we can build out a global coalition, a coalition...that understands this challenge," Pompeo said.

Saudi Arabia's SPA state news agency said the king and Pompeo discussed regional and international developments at their meeting in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walks with Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, as Pompeo arrives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 24, 2019. /Reuters Photo

Relations between Iran and the United States have deteriorated since Trump withdrew Washington a year ago from a 2015 accord that curbed Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for easing sanctions.

Tensions have flared following attacks in recent weeks on oil tankers in the Gulf which the U.S. blames on Iran, the shooting down of the drone last week, and repeated attacks on Saudi airports and oil installations by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.

Washington and Riyadh have publicly accused Tehran of being behind the tanker attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has denied involvement in the explosive blasts.

Fire and smoke billow from Norwegian owned Front Altair tanker said to have been attacked in the waters of the Gulf of Oman, June 13, 2019. /VCG Photo

The UAE has called for a de-escalation following the attacks, including on four vessels off its coast last month which an initial investigation said was carried out by a state actor without naming a country.

Pompeo is expected to discuss "ways to support maritime security" when he meets Abu Dhabi's crown prince, the U.S. Mission to the UAE tweeted.

There was no public indication of whether Pompeo would raise the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during his Saudi visit.

(Cover: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) meets with King Salman at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 24, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

Source(s): Reuters