Saudi King Salman urges world to take 'decisive stance' against Iran

Riyadh, Nov 12: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, urged the world on Thursday to take "a decisive stance" to address efforts by Iran to develop nuclear and ballistic missile programs, in an annual address to the top government advisory body.

"The Kingdom stresses the dangers of Iran's regional project, its interference in other countries, its fostering of terrorism, its fanning the flames of sectarianism ... in its efforts to possess weapons of mass destruction," King Salman told Shura Council members via videolink.

“We call on the international community to take a decisive stance against Iran to ensure it does not obtain weapons of mass destruction and develop its ballistic missile project.

They were his first public remarks since he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in September via videolink, where he also took aim at Iran.

Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran are locked in a decades-long struggle for influence across the region, supporting opposing sides in conflicts from Syria to Yemen.

Tensions have risen since US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 and reimposed stringent economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The new Shura Council comprises 150 members and will serve a four-year term.