Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, emphasized the necessity of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and highlighted the importance of making the Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. In a speech delivered via video link during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, he stated that Iran is a neighboring country, expressing the kingdom’s hope that discussions will lead to the establishment of relationships.
He further noted that Saudi Arabia's foreign policy is based on supporting dialogue to achieve peace. Regarding Yemen, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques pointed out that his country respects the national sovereignty of all nations and does not interfere in their internal affairs, stressing that Houthi militias continue to attack civilian targets within the kingdom daily. He mentioned that the peace initiative presented by Saudi Arabia is capable of ending the conflict, reiterating that peace is the strategic choice for the Middle East. In this context, the king announced that the kingdom continues to combat extremist ideologies.
On the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, King Salman declared that the kingdom supports a peaceful solution to the crisis that guarantees the rights of Egypt and Sudan. He added that Riyadh has launched the Green Saudi Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts to address the effects of climate change.
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, King Salman announced that Saudi Arabia provided $500 million to combat the pandemic. He affirmed the kingdom's commitment to offering humanitarian assistance to nations in need, noting that it has supported global efforts to address the consequences of the pandemic. He stressed that recovery from COVID-19 depends on everyone’s cooperation.
It is worth mentioning that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah had announced a new initiative months ago to end the war in Yemen, which includes a nationwide ceasefire under the supervision of the United Nations. This initiative received widespread Arab and international support and was praised by the United Nations, amid the obstinacy of the Houthi militias.
