US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed on Sunday that his country will continue to preserve the “strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia.”
He told Fox News that the Kingdom plays a major role in deterring Iran – “the world’s greatest state sponsor of terrorism” – from threatening American interests.
In addition, he said that Washington is talking with Saudi Arabia and Turkey “nearly every day to continue efforts” to uncover the truth behind the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month.
“The facts that we're finding still are unfolding. We're still working diligently on that,” Pompeo continued.
“We've begun to hold some officials accountable. We've revoked visas from 16 individuals that we have been able to identify so far that were, in fact, connected to that. We'll continue to do that,” he revealed.
“And we will do that at the same time while ensuring that the strategic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, one that has a great impact on the issue we just spoke about, the capacity to deny the world's largest state sponsor of terror the ability to threaten America and Israel,” he added.
“We will continue to work to maintain that important, strategic relationship, while holding accountable those responsible for this atrocious death,” vowed Pompeo.
On Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’ call for a ceasefire in Yemen, he replied: “It's nothing new. We have been urging all the parties to come to the table and recognize that that there's no military victory that could be achieved in Yemen.”
“We've asked the Iranians to do that too. Much of the harm that's taking place there comes from the fact that the Iranians continue to supply weapons and missiles to the Houthi rebels that are fighting there in Saudi Arabia,” he remarked.
“They are responsible for the starvation in Yemen as well. We want all the parties, under Martin Griffiths of the UN to come to the table, negotiate a solution that ends the very difficult, tragic situation that's taking place in Yemen today,” Pompeo stressed.
