Saudi prince hails Trump as 'strong President' in fight against 'dangerous' Iran

“Saudi Arabia had viewed with unease the administration of US President Barack Obama, whom they felt considered Riyadh’s alliance with Washington less important than negotiating the Iran nuclear deal….The deputy crown prince viewed the nuclear deal as “very dangerous,” the senior adviser said, adding that both leaders had identical views on “the danger of Iran’s regional expansionist activities.”

Obama’s close and highly suspicious dealings with Iran include, in addition to the Iranian deal, as much as $33.6 billion in secret payments facilitated by the Obama administration, according to testimony provided before Congress. The Free Beacon also reported that the Obama Administration surrendered over $10 billion in gold, cash and other assets to Iran since 2013.

A senior adviser to Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman praised the meeting in a statement:

the meeting today restored issues to their right path and form a big change in relations between both countries in political, military, security and economic issues.

That glowing optimism may need to be toned down. Iran has earned its reputation as a rogue state, but Saudi Arabia is problematic too. Reports of a Saudi Arabia/Islamic State alliance have been ongoing, despite the so-called Saudi “friendship” with the West.

In 2010, Saudi Arabia was identified as “the single biggest contributor to the funding of Islamic extremism” and was said to be “unwilling to cut off the money supply.” Even Hillary Clinton, who — according to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange — has accepted Saudi donations, said “in a secret memorandum that donors in the kingdom still ‘constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide’ and that ‘it has been an ongoing challenge to persuade Saudi officials to treat terrorist financing emanating from Saudi Arabia as a strategic priority.’”

“SAUDI PRINCE: TRUMP A ‘STRONG PRESIDENT’ IN FIGHT AGAINST DANGEROUS IRAN”, Reuters, March 15, 2017:

WASHINGTON – Saudi Arabia hailed a “historical turning point” in US-Saudi relations after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman highlighted the two leaders’ shared view that Iran posed a regional security threat.

The meeting on Tuesday appeared to signal a meeting of the minds on many issues between Trump and Prince Mohammed, in a marked difference from Riyadh’s often fraught relationship with the Obama administration, especially in the wake of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

“This meeting is considered a historical turning point in relations between both countries and which had passed through a period of divergence of views on many issues,” a senior adviser to Prince Mohammed said in a statement.

“But the meeting today restored issues to their right path and form a big change in relations between both countries in political, military, security and economic issues,” the adviser said.

Saudi Arabia had viewed with unease the administration of US President Barack Obama, whom they felt considered Riyadh’s alliance with Washington less important than negotiating the Iran nuclear deal.

Riyadh and other Gulf allies see in Trump a strong president who will shore up Washington’s role as their main strategic partner and help contain Riyadh’s adversary Iran in a region central to US security and energy interests, regional analysts said.

The deputy crown prince viewed the nuclear deal as “very dangerous,” the senior adviser said, adding that both leaders had identical views on “the danger of Iran’s regional expansionist activities.” The White House has said the deal was not in the best interest of the United States.

Iran denies interference in Arab countries.

PRAISE FOR TRUMP

The meeting was the first since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration with the prince, who is leading the kingdom’s efforts to revive state finances by diversifying the economy away from a reliance on falling crude oil revenues.

Under the plan, which seeks to promote the private sector and make state-owned companies more efficient, Riyadh plans to sell up to 5 percent of state oil giant Saudi Aramco in what is expected to be the world’s biggest initial public offering.

The two leaders, who discussed opportunities for US companies to invest in Saudi Arabia, kicked off their talks in the Oval Office posing for a picture in front of journalists.

US Vice President Mike Pence, Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, chief of staff Reince Priebus and strategist Steve Bannon were also present at the Oval Office meeting with Prince Mohammed.

The meeting also appeared to illustrate support for some of the most contentious issues that Trump has faced since taking office on Jan. 20.

On a travel ban against six Muslim-majority countries, the adviser said Prince Mohammed did not regard it as one that was aimed at “Muslim countries or Islam.”

Earlier this month Trump signed a revised executive order on banning citizens from Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Libya from traveling to the United States but removed Iraq from the list, after his controversial first attempt was blocked in the court

Trump’s travel ban has come under criticism for targeting citizens of several mainly Muslim countries. The senior adviser said Prince Mohammed “expressed his satisfaction after the meeting on the positive position and clarifications he heard from President Trump on his views on Islam.”

The senior adviser said the leaders discussed the “successful Saudi experience of setting up a border protection system” on the Saudi-Iraq border which has prevented smuggling.

Trump has vowed to start work quickly on the barrier along the nearly 2,000-mile US-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigrants and drugs from crossing to the north….