RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has welcomed President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran, saying it would work with the United States and the international community to address Tehran’s nuclear programme as well as its ballistic missile programme and support of militant groups in the region.

“Iran used economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to continue its activities to destabilise the region, particularly by developing ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist groups in the region,” said a foreign ministry statement.

It confirmed “the need to deal with the danger that Iran’s policies pose to international peace and security through a comprehensive view that is not limited to its nuclear programme but also includes all hostile activities” in the region.

Saudi Arabia has called the 2015 nuclear deal a “flawed agreement”, and in March Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS news that his country would without a doubt develop nuclear weapons if Iran did so.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2018