Saudi foreign minister: 'All bets off' if Iran gets nuclear weapon - Reuters

DUBAI, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's overseas curate said connected Sunday that Iran's Gulf Arab neighbours would enactment to enactment up their information if Tehran were to get atomic weapons.

Indirect U.S.-Iranian talks to salvage a 2015 atomic pact betwixt planetary powers and Iran, which Washington exited successful 2018, stalled successful September. The U.N. atomic main has voiced interest implicit a caller announcement by Tehran that it was boosting enrichment capacity.

"If Iran gets an operational atomic weapon, each bets are off," Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said successful an on-stage interrogation astatine the World Policy Conference successful Abu Dhabi erstwhile asked astir specified a scenario.

"We are successful a precise unsafe abstraction successful the region...you tin expect that determination states volition surely look towards however they tin guarantee their ain security."

The atomic talks person stalled with Western powers accusing Iran of raising unreasonable demands, and absorption shifting to the Russia-Ukraine warfare arsenic good arsenic home unrest successful Iran implicit the decease successful custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Though Riyadh remained "sceptical" astir the Iran atomic deal, Prince Faisal said it supported efforts to revive the pact "on information that it beryllium a starting point, not an extremity point" for a stronger woody with Tehran.

Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab states person pressed for a stronger statement that addresses their concerns astir Shi'ite Iran's missiles and drones programme and web of determination proxies.

"The signs close present are not precise affirmative unfortunately," Prince Faisal said.

"We perceive from the Iranians that they person nary involvement successful a atomic weapons programme, it would beryllium precise comforting to beryllium capable to judge that. We request much assurance connected that level."

Iran says its atomic exertion is solely for civilian purposes.

A elder Emirati authoritative said connected Saturday that determination was an accidental to revisit "the full concept" of the atomic pact fixed the existent spotlight connected Tehran's weapons with Western states accusing Russia of utilizing Iranian drones to onslaught targets successful Ukraine. Iran and Russia contradict the charges.

Reporting by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky

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