Saudi Arabia to judge Iran’s Raisi by ‘reality on the ground’

Saudi foreign minister says he was ‘very concerned’ about unanswered questions on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Saudi Arabia will judge Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi’s government by “the reality on the ground”, the kingdom’s foreign minister has said, adding that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on foreign policy. Raisi, a hardline judge who secured an expected election victory on Saturday, said on Monday he wanted to improve ties with Gulf Arab neighbours while calling on regional rival Saudi Arabia to immediately halt its intervention in Yemen. After six years of war, a military coalition led by Riyadh has failed to defeat the Houthi movement in Yemen. Tens of thousands have been killed in the war, which has caused what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.