RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) 23 January 2016 — A senior State Department official said after Secretary Kerry arrived in Saudi Arabia that the U.S. is backing its longtime partner Saudi Arabia in the feud with Iran, but would like to see both countries put this episode behind them. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly to the delicate diplomacy, said there had been no signs yet that Saudi-Iran hostility was compromising the Syria peace effort.
However, there are still serious disagreements over who can represent the opposition at the talks, which diplomats say are likely to be delayed for several days.
Before leaving Switzerland, Kerry said the rivalry remained a concern. He added that despite the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, the U.S. remained deeply troubled about destabilizing Iranian actions in the region. He said he would renew America’s commitment to the security of its Arab friends in the Middle East while he was in Riyadh.
“There is no sudden transformation in these other concerns,” he said of Iran. “They exist and we will continue to be vigilant and engaged about them. And that is part of what I’m going to Saudi Arabia about: to make sure our friends see clearly how we will go forward on, together, to address those kinds of concerns.”
Kerry’s arrival in Saudi Arabia is on the second leg of his latest round-the-world diplomatic mission, which will also take him to Laos, Cambodia and China.