Top Saudi official holds talks with US state, defense secretaries

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s deputy defense minister said on Thursday he discussed regional security and military cooperation with senior US government officials at a time of heightened tension with Iran following last month’s attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

Saudi Arabia and the United States blamed Tehran for the Sept. 14 assault on oil plants that initially halved the output of the world’s top exporter, a charge Iran denies, a British wire service reported.

The kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last month said Riyadh prefers a political solution to a military one, but warned that oil prices could spike to “unimaginably high numbers” if the world does not deter Iran. Vice Minister of Defence Prince Khalid bin Salman, a brother of Prince Mohammed, said that he met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

Saudi Arabia and the United States “stand side by side in bolstering regional and international security and stability”, Prince Khalid said of his talks with Pompeo. He and Esper discussed mutual security challenges and reaffirmed “strong military cooperation in countering terrorism and preserving peace and stability”, the prince said.