Saudi king: Time Iran shed negative attitude in Middle East

Neom: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman urged arch-rival Iran on Thursday to end its “negative behaviour” in the region, after Riyadh accused Tehran of aiding Yemeni rebels in launching deadly attacks on his country. However, the monarch who turns 86 on Friday appeared to soften his hawkish tone towards the Islamic republic, after having urged world powers last year to take a “firm stance” against Tehran.

Salman, addressing the Shura council, the top government advisory body, virtually for a second year in a row, spoke for less than four minutes. He read slowly from a white piece of paper, pausing at times, in a speech broadcast three hours after its initial scheduled time.

Riyadh and Tehran have been bitter foes for decades, taking opposing sides in a range of regional conflicts, including in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition against Iran-backed Huthi rebels. —Agencies