Saudi Arabia condemned Thursday “Iranian violations of Iraqi sovereignty” after Iran fired missiles at Iraq bases where US troops are deployed in retaliation for the killing of a top commander. “The kingdom denounces and condemns the Iranian violations of Iraqi sovereignty,” said a statement carried by the official SPA news agency following Wednesday’s retaliatory strikes by Riyadh’s arch-foe Iran. On Thursday Saudi Arabia called anew on all parties to observe restraint and avoid an escalation “in order to preserve the stability of Iraq and the region”. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both allies of Washington, are vulnerable to Iranian counter strikes. Strikes against Saudi oil installations in September also led Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to adopt a more conciliatory approach aimed at avoiding confrontation with Tehran.

Source: Punch January 09, 2020 16:02 UTC