US National Security Advisor Discusses Yemen, Iran With Saudis

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan had a low-profile meeting with top Saudi officials to discuss Yemen and reducing tensions with Iran.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other officials on Tuesday to discuss the war in Yemen and reducing tensions in the Middle East.

The White House has kept the visit, which was Sullivan’s first Middle East trip as a low-profile diplomatic event and no photos were published. This was also the highest-level trip by a US official to Saudi Arabia since President Joe Biden took office.

Deputy Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman, Interior Minister Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, National Guard Minister Abdullah bin Bandar, and Minister of State and national security adviser Musaed al-Aiban also attended the meeting.

Sullivan who was accompanied by special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking discussed ways to end the war in Yemen. The two sides also discussed measures to reduce tensions in the region, including with Iran, and Sullivan expressed satisfaction at measures such as a recent summit in Baghdad that brought regional countries together.

Saudi Arabia backed former president Donald Trump’s tough stance against Iran and its relations with the Biden Administration have not been so strong. Riyadh and its allies in the region are apprehensive at Biden’s attempts to restore the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and lift sanctions.