US and European powers discuss Iran threat with Gulf countries in Riyadh

The meeting on Iran involved officials from Gulf countries, Egypt, Jordan, the E3 and US. (Twitter)
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  • Meetings come ahead of talks with Iran over rebooting 2015 nuclear deal

RIYADH: The US and European powers told Gulf countries on Thursday that they were determined to address Iran鈥檚 destabilizing activities in the region.

The comments came during talks in Riyadh between officials from France, Germany, the UK and GCC countries, along with US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley. Jordan and Egypt were also represented.

Malley and the Europeans condemned Iran鈥檚 鈥渄estabilizing activities in the region, including the use and transfer of ballistic missiles and UAVs (drones) that have led to attacks against regional partners,鈥� a State Department spokesperson said.

黑料社区 is attacked regularly with explosive drones and missiles fired across the border from Yemen by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

The talks also focused on upcoming talks with Iran over rebooting the 2015 deal to curb Tehran鈥檚 nuclear ambitions. Iran has repeatedly breached the terms of the deal with world powers after Donald Trump withdrew the US from the accord in 2017.

鈥淩epresentatives of the E3 (Germany France, UK) and the United States reiterated the importance 鈥� for Europe, the United States, the region and beyond 鈥� of quickly reaching and implementing a negotiated solution to that end and of ensuring that Iran鈥檚 nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes,鈥� the statement said.

A day earlier, US and Gulf officials convened their Working Group on Iran, during which they said Iran鈥檚 nuclear program was of 鈥済rave concern.鈥�

The group said Iran鈥檚 continued enrichment of uranium to quantities and purity higher than those stated in the JCPOA had no civilian need but would be 鈥渋mportant to a nuclear weapons program.鈥�

The group condemned a 鈥渞ange of aggressive and dangerous Iranian policies, including the proliferation and direct use of advanced ballistic missiles and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).鈥�

鈥淭hese weapons have been used by Iran or its proxies in hundreds of attacks against civilians and critical infrastructure in 黑料社区 and civilian merchant seamen in international waters of the Sea of Oman, and endangered American troops combatting ISIS (Daesh),鈥� the group said.