RIYADH, 19 November 2021, (TON): The US and European powers told Gulf countries that they were determined to address Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region.

The comments came during talks in Riyadh between officials from France, Germany, the UK and GCC countries, along with US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley. Jordan and Egypt were also represented.

A State Department spokesperson said “Malley and the Europeans condemned Iran’s “destabilizing activities in the region, including the use and transfer of ballistic missiles and UAVs (drones) that have led to attacks against regional partners.”

Saudi Arabia is attacked regularly with explosive drones and missiles fired across the border from Yemen by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

The talks also focused on upcoming talks with Iran over rebooting the 2015 deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran has repeatedly breached the terms of the deal with world powers after Donald Trump withdrew the US from the accord in 2017.

The statement said “representatives of the E3 (Germany France, UK) and the United States reiterated the importance for Europe, the United States, the region and beyond of quickly reaching and implementing a negotiated solution to that end and of ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.”