Saudi Arabia does not want a war, but respond firmly to any threat:Jubeir

RIYADH, May 19 (MENA) - Saudi Arabia is doing its best to avoid war in the region but stands ready to respond with "all strength and determination" to defend itself from any threat, the Kingdom's top diplomat said on Sunday as quoted by the Saudi press agency.

In a news conference, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir accused Iran of committing "countless crimes" including seeking to destabilize the region.

He urged the international community to take responsibility to stop Iran from doing so.

"Our security and religion are a red line," Al-Jubeir said. His statement comes following last week's attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Arabian Gulf and installations within the Kingdom.

Iran’s foreign minister was quoted by the state-run IRNA news agency on Saturday as saying his country is “not seeking war” even as the chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Tehran was in a “full-fledged intelligence war with the US.“

"Within this framework, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia responded to a distress call from an Iranian oil vessel in the Red Sea and immediately provided the necessary assistance to the vessel and its crew. The Iranian crew still receive the necessary care from the Kingdom, in compliance with its int'l, humanitarian and environmental responsibilities.

At a time, when two Saudi oil tankers in the Arabian Gulf were attacked and two East-West Pipeline were targeted too," Al-Jubeir added.

He stressed that the Iranian regime is not looking for security and stability in the region, adding that the problems in the region began since the arrival of the Iranian regime in 1979, whose constitution is based on exporting revolution and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

"The Iranian regime has directly and through its proxies sought to provoke unrest and supported terrorist and extremist groups and organizations. Over the past decades, the countries of the region have suffered from the crimes of the Iranian regime and its interventions which are crimes too numerous to count," Al-Jubeir said, citing a number of Iranian terrorist acts against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Al Jubeir said Iranian regime can spare the region the dangers of war by adhering to international laws and covenants, by stopping its interference in the internal affairs of other countries of the region, by stopping its support for terrorist groups and militias, and immediately halting its missile and nuclear weapons programs.

"Saudi Arabia stresses that its hand is always extended to peace and seeks to achieve it, and believes that the peoples of the region, including the Iranian people, have the right to live in security and stability and to move towards development," he said.

"We want peace and stability and we want to focus on the Kingdom's Vision 2030 which will enrich Saudi people’s lives," he added.

Jubeir also urged Qatar, an estranged member of the GCC to stop supporting extremists and terrorists and return to the fold.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt severed trade and diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017, charging Doha of siding with terror groups that have been destabilizing the region.

With regard to the Saudi and GCC stance on deployment of US troops in the Gulf, the Minister of the State for Foreign Affairs said that the GCC states have agreements with the United Sates, which is an allay and friendly state, stressing the importance of maintaining the security and stability of this very important and sensitive region, which is the main source of oil, to the international economy.

Regarding the Russian stance of this escalation, Al-Jubeir announced that the Russian position calls for restraint and non-escalation.

"Russia has interests in the region and does not want instability in it and calls for adopting policies in line with international laws and norms and abandoning sabotage or aggressive policies or interference in the affairs of other states," Al-Jubeir concluded.