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US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Iran Interference Makes It Difficult to Find a Path for Peace in Yemen

US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid holds videoconference meeting with the media, Asharq Al-Awsat
US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid holds videoconference meeting with the media, Asharq Al-Awsat
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US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Iran Interference Makes It Difficult to Find a Path for Peace in Yemen

US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid holds videoconference meeting with the media, Asharq Al-Awsat
US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid holds videoconference meeting with the media, Asharq Al-Awsat

US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid on Wednesday stressed the importance of promoting security in the Middle East and deterring the malign Iranian threat in the region, confirming that Iranian interference in Yemen is blocking the path to peace.

Abizaid’s remarks were made at a videoconference meeting attended by Asharq Al-Awsat.

The roundtable with journalists touched on a number of topics, including US relations with Saudi Arabia and policy on regional threats in the Middle East.

While the world waits on the results of the upcoming US election, Abizaid said that he sees no change in the future relationship between Riyadh and Washington.

“There may be some emphasis on different areas that will be different, but I wouldn’t anticipate that the relationship will be anything other than what it has been for 75 years, which is the rock of stability in the region,” he said.

It is worth noting that on October 14, the US and Saudi Arabia held a strategic in Washington.

Abizaid referred to Saudi Arabia's efforts to free US citizens who were held hostage by terrorist Houthi militia in Yemen.

The abducted US nationals were working to restore peace to Yemen alongside Saudi Arabia and UN Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths.

Iranian interference in Yemen makes it more difficult for Houthis to find a path for peace, the US diplomat noted.

Abizaid affirmed that Saudi Arabia and the US share a common goal centered on promoting peace and stability in the region.

Speaking about threats in the region, Abizaid pointed out to Iran deploying its arms in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

Referring to the Saudi-US dialogue, Abizaid said the discussions in Washington focused on cooperation in defense, security and intelligence, and critical infrastructure protection, along with promoting resilient energy markets, “especially in light of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Of course, we also talked about the importance of using only trusted vendors and critical information and communications technology in exploring new areas of cooperation and cybersecurity and other areas,” he added.

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Man Taken into Custody After Driving His Car into Security Gate Outside White House 

20 October 2025, US, Washington: A general view of the White House during sunrise in Washington. (dpa)
20 October 2025, US, Washington: A general view of the White House during sunrise in Washington. (dpa)
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Man Taken into Custody After Driving His Car into Security Gate Outside White House 

20 October 2025, US, Washington: A general view of the White House during sunrise in Washington. (dpa)
20 October 2025, US, Washington: A general view of the White House during sunrise in Washington. (dpa)

A man was taken into custody late Tuesday after driving his car into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.

The US Secret Service said the man crashed into the security gate at a White House entrance at 10:37 pm on Tuesday. The man was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service’s uniformed division, the agency said.

Investigators searched his car and deemed it to be safe, Secret Service officials said in a statement.

Authorities did not immediately provide any additional information about the crash, the driver’s identity or any potential motivation.

World

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles as Trump Prepares for Asia Trip 

People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing short-range ballistic missiles, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, October 22, 2025. (Reuters)
People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing short-range ballistic missiles, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, October 22, 2025. (Reuters)
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North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles as Trump Prepares for Asia Trip 

People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing short-range ballistic missiles, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, October 22, 2025. (Reuters)
People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing short-range ballistic missiles, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, October 22, 2025. (Reuters)

North Korea fired what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, a week before a key Asia-Pacific leaders' meeting in South Korea.

It was the first launch of ballistic missiles since May by Pyongyang, which has defied a United Nations Security Council ban on the weapons.

It was also the first such launch since Lee Jae Myung was elected president in South Korea, with a platform of engagement with North Korea.

Lee and US President Donald Trump are expected to meet in South Korea next week at a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Trump is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

South Korea detected several projectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles fired from an area near North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, in a northeasterly direction early on Wednesday, its Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

TRUMP TO VISIT SOUTH KOREA

Lee and Trump have discussed the idea of trying to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when the American president visits the South, but Pyongyang has not publicly responded to the idea.

US officials considered, but never confirmed, a trip to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

South Korea has suspended tours of the Joint Security Area (JSA) at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom until early November, but has not confirmed any plans for a meeting with Kim.

Trump and Kim held three summits during Trump's 2017 to 2021 first term and exchanged a number of letters that Trump called "beautiful," before the unprecedented diplomatic effort broke down over US demands that Kim give up his nuclear weapons.

In September, Kim expressed "fond memories" of Trump saying there was no reason to avoid talks with the US if Washington stopped insisting his country give up nuclear weapons, but he would never abandon the nuclear arsenal to end sanctions.

"It is not at all inconceivable that Donald Trump could here in Washington, DC, say, ‘Denuclearization, that’s our goal, that's our policy’ and then go up to Panmunjom and say, ‘Oh, you know, Kim Jong Un is a nuclear power,’" said Victor Cha, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Even if it's a short meeting, in the broader scheme of things, with all that the United States has to deal with these days, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing."

Andrew Yeo, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said while a Trump-Kim meeting was not impossible, the US president's known schedule and timing might make it unlikely.

"Trump's only there for one night, two days, and because of the Xi-Trump meeting, that's probably taking up all the bandwidth or resources of the US government," he said.

MULTIPLE MISSILES LAUNCHED

Nuclear-armed North Korea has steadily upgraded its missile capabilities over the past decade defying multiple United Nations sanctions, having test-launched long-range ballistic missiles with potential ranges to strike the US mainland if fired at a trajectory calibrated for that purpose.

South Korea's military said it had detected movements ahead of the launch, then tracked the projectiles after they were fired and flew about 350 km (217 miles), the military said.

The missiles appeared to have fallen inland, a military official separately said.

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said there was no impact on Japan's security from the North Korean missile launch and Tokyo was sharing real-time information with the US.

North Korea last launched ballistic missiles on May 8 when it fired multiple short-range missiles from its east coast.

North Korea showcased its latest intercontinental ballistic missile this month at a parade attended by the Chinese premier.

World

IRGC Chief Threatens to Open ‘Gates of Hell’ if Israel Attacks Iran Again

IRGC chief Mohammad Pakpour meets Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al‑Araji in Tehran, Oct. 21. (Iranian state television)
IRGC chief Mohammad Pakpour meets Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al‑Araji in Tehran, Oct. 21. (Iranian state television)
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IRGC Chief Threatens to Open ‘Gates of Hell’ if Israel Attacks Iran Again

IRGC chief Mohammad Pakpour meets Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al‑Araji in Tehran, Oct. 21. (Iranian state television)
IRGC chief Mohammad Pakpour meets Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al‑Araji in Tehran, Oct. 21. (Iranian state television)

Iran’s new Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief on Tuesday warned that Tehran would “open the gates of hell” on Israel if it launched another attack on his country, saying any Iranian response would be “stronger” than the 12-day war in June.

Major General Mohammad Pakpour, appointed IRGC commander after the killing of his predecessor, Major General Hossein Salami in Israeli strikes on June 13, made the threat during a meeting with Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al‑Araji, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

“The Zionist enemy relies heavily on its missile shield, and the Americans have deployed THAAD and Aegis systems at sea and in neighboring countries to stop our launches, we nevertheless launched our missiles successfully and hit the targets we had precisely identified,” Pakpour said.

“Today we are at the highest level of readiness, and if anyone dares to attack our country, our response will certainly be stronger than the 12-day war, and we will make them a hell they will not forget.”

The warning follows a surprise Israeli strike on June 13 that triggered a 12-day conflict, during which US strikes hit three major uranium-enrichment facilities in Iran.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has publicly praised Iran’s missile response to the June attacks, calling it a “shocking slap” that penetrated deep into sensitive Israeli centers.

He said Iran’s missiles - “ready with our armed forces and defense industries” - remain available and will be used again if necessary, reported state media.

Pakpour, formerly commander of the IRGC ground forces, was promoted to IRGC chief immediately after Salami’s killing. He thanked Baghdad for its role in curbing anti-Iranian groups near the border and urged full implementation of security agreements.

Iranian officials have combined defiance with reassurance since the ceasefire with Israel.

Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref and other senior figures said the government has contingency plans for both ordinary and extraordinary situations and is fully prepared “if the enemy attempts any hostile trick or maneuver.”

Conservative lawmakers and defense officials said Iran has revised its tactics to strengthen deterrence. Mohammad Saleh Jokar, head of parliament’s Internal Affairs Committee, described recent military drills as realistic “training for a real war,” and said Iran’s battlefield experience has improved the armed forces’ technical and tactical readiness.

While senior commanders issued warnings, other officials emphasized restraint. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Abdul Rahim Mousavi, said it was unlikely that Iran’s enemies would attempt another “reckless move if they had any sense”.

He added that Tehran is “not seeking war”, but is fully prepared, and that its actions “this time will be completely different.”