Saudis Kept US Informed on Talks with Iran, Says White House

Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby responds to a question from the news media during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 02 March 2023. (EPA)
Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby responds to a question from the news media during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 02 March 2023. (EPA)
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Saudis Kept US Informed on Talks with Iran, Says White House

Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby responds to a question from the news media during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 02 March 2023. (EPA)
Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby responds to a question from the news media during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 02 March 2023. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia kept Washington informed of its talks with Iran to restore diplomatic relations but the United States was not directly involved, White House spokesman John Kirby said on Friday.

The road map announced on Friday was the result of several rounds of talks, including some held in Baghdad and Oman.

"The Saudis did keep us informed about these talks that they were having, just as we keep them informed on our engagements, but we weren't directly involved."

The White House believes that internal and external pressure, including effective Saudi deterrence against attacks from Iran or its proxies, ultimately brought Iran to the table, Kirby said.

"We support any efforts to de-escalate tensions there and in the region. We think it's in our interests, and it's something that we worked on through our own effective combination of deterrence and diplomacy."



GCC Secretary General Condemns Israel for Burning of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza

Ambulances transport wounded Palestinians from the Kamal Adwan Hospital to the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on December 28, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas group. (AFP)
Ambulances transport wounded Palestinians from the Kamal Adwan Hospital to the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on December 28, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas group. (AFP)
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GCC Secretary General Condemns Israel for Burning of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza

Ambulances transport wounded Palestinians from the Kamal Adwan Hospital to the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on December 28, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas group. (AFP)
Ambulances transport wounded Palestinians from the Kamal Adwan Hospital to the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on December 28, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas group. (AFP)

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi strongly condemned on Saturday the Israeli forces' burning of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza and the forced evacuation of all patients and medical staff.

Albudaiwi described the attack on the medical facility as a dangerous escalation that deepens the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories. He called for immediate international action to halt these violations.

Such actions not only worsen the humanitarian crisis, but also are violations of international laws designed to protect civilians and medical institutions during times of conflict, he remarked.

Albudaiwi urged the international community to provide urgent support to Gaza’s medical sector, which is grappling with catastrophic conditions caused by these attacks.