Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchies, where all major decisions rest with the king, a capacity that King Salman has used to empower his offspring. “We are a primary target for the Iranian regime,” he said, accusing Tehran of seeking to take over Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia, which is home to Mecca and Medina. “We won’t wait for the battle to be in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia and Iran stand on opposite sides of conflicts in Bahrain, Syria and Yemen while seeking to lessen each other’s influence across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyKing Salman named a young and relatively unknown prince, Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, as interior minister.

Source: New York Times June 21, 2017 05:17 UTC