Gates, in Riyadh, seeks Saudi help on Iran sanctions

Reuters ^ | 3/11/2010 | Phil Stewart

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah for support lobbying for U.N. sanctions against Iran on Wednesday and discussed ways to boost the kingdom's air and missile defenses.The United States is leading a push for the U.N. Security Council to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, and aides to Gates made no secret of their hopes that Saudi Arabia could press regional allies for help.

"We are certainly hopeful that the Saudis will use whatever influence they have, which is considerable, in this region and throughout the world to try to help us," said Geoff Morrell, Pentagon press secretary, after the talks.

The visit is the latest in a string of high-level trips by U.S. officials to Saudi Arabia in recent months with Iran topping the agenda. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military officer, have both traveled here.

A senior U.S. defense official said Saudi officials were supportive of Washington's shift to pressuring Iran, after attempts by President Barack Obama to engage Tehran failed to produce results.

Israel's U.N. envoy cautioned this week that the outlook for imposing tough new sanctions on Iran was increasingly grim, as Russia and China worked to slow down the effort.

"It was our strong impression that this overall approach was one that the Saudis were supportive of," the U.S. official said.

[odds]

>>>”Israel’s U.N. envoy cautioned this week that the outlook for imposing tough new sanctions on Iran was increasingly grim, as Russia and China worked to slow down the effort.”

Gosh! For once I’m speechless!