Riyadh Will Build Nuclear Weapons If Iran Gets Them, Saudi Prince Warns

Saudi Arabia actively campaigns to redirect international attention on Iran’s nuclear program and influence in the Middle East. If Iran develops a nuclear weapon, the West can expect Saudi Arabia will follow suit, Saudi officials advised NATO officials. A warning from Prince Turki al-Faisal, former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to the US, was implicit, but other Saudi spokesmen were explicit about Saudi intentions to keep with Iran, writes Jason Burke for the Guardian. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah voiced similar sentiments to US officials in 2008. In prepared remarks, the prince described Iran as “meddling” in Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Syria and destabilizing the region. Burke concludes: “Analysts said that Turki's words about developing nuclear arms may have been intended to focus western attention on Saudi concerns about their regional rival rather than to indicate any kind of definite decision by Riyadh.” – Yale Global