Iran must stop meddling in Mideast

Iran must stop meddling in the Middle East, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia told Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in the Kremlin on Thursday, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

"We emphasise that the security and stability of the Gulf region and the Middle East is an urgent necessity for achieving stability and security in Yemen," Salman said, quoted by the agency.

"This would demand that Iran give up interference with the internal affairs of the region, to give up actions destabilising the situation in this region."

King Salman and Putin exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa and agreed on the need to fight terrorism, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

King Salman, the first ever Saudi leader to visit Russia, and Putin underlined the need for a peaceful solution to the conflicts in the region, Lavrov told a joint news briefing with his Saudi counterpart Adel Al Jubeir after the two leaders met.

The Saudi king gave a positive assessment of the Astana process on settling the Syria conflict, Lavrov said, adding that Russia supports Saudi Arabia's steps to unite Syria's opposition so they can take part in the peace talks.

Saudi Arabia signed on Thursday preliminary agreements to buy S-400 air defence systems and receive "cutting edge technologies" from Russia during King Salman's landmark visit to Moscow, the Saudi military industries firm said.

Under the agreements, Saudi Arabia is set to buy S-400 air defence systems, Kornet anti-tank guided missile systems and multiple rocket launchers. These agreements are "expected to play a pivotal role in the growth and development of the military and military systems industry in Saudi Arabia," Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) said.

"The memorandum of understanding includes the transfer of technology for the local production" of the Kornet anti-tank guided missile systems, advanced multiple rocket launchers and automatic grenade launchers.

"In addition, the parties will cooperate in setting a plan to localise the manufacturing and sustainment of parts of the S-400 air defence system," SAMI said.

The two countries also agreed on the production in Saudi Arabia of the Kalashnikov automatic rifle and its ammunition as well as educational and training programmes for Saudi nationals.

"These agreements are expected to have tangible economic contributions and create hundreds of direct jobs," the company said.

They "will also transfer cutting edge technologies that will act as a catalyst for localising 50 per cent of the Kingdom's military spending."

Saudi Arabia is working closely with Russia on uniting Syria's opposition, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir said on Thursday, adding that Moscow and Riyadh agreed on the need to preserve Syria's territorial integrity and state institutions.

Jubeir also said that both Russia and Saudi Arabia believe in the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and in the principle of territorial integrity.

Officials from Russia and Saudi Arabia on Thursday signed an agreement in the Kremlin on the creation of a $1 billion joint investment fund.

Source: Khaleej Times