Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has condemned what he described as an attempt by Houthi militias to target Makkah, calling it a “heinous crime” and a violation of the sanctity of the holy sites. In a social media statement, King Salman said the reported attempt to target Makkah violates the status of the holy sites and provokes the sentiments of Muslims around the world.
The remarks came as the United Nations General Assembly opened amid discussions on a number of conflicts and their impact on the international order and international law, according to Al-Jazeera.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to address the UN General Assembly, where he will raise what he described as the grievances of the Iranian people, the crimes that have been committed and the mistrust created following the US-Israeli attack on Tehran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the United States and Israel must accept the region’s freedom from what it called their “vile and criminal presence.”
Meanwhile, the US envoy to the United Nations said President Donald Trump remains determined to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, while maintaining that the door remains open for Tehran to return to negotiations if it does so “in good faith.” The United States is open to talks with the Iranian delegation attending the UN General Assembly, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News, as President Donald Trump discussed Washington’s military strikes on Iran during the gathering.
Rubio said the United States remains open to speaking with Iranian representatives at the General Assembly. His remarks came as the Iranian delegation walked out during Trump’s address, leaving one lower-level staff member seated. Rubio also said Washington would stand by its security commitments to Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing fighting with Yemen’s Houthis.
