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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington would keep the ‘steadfast’ partnership with Saudi Arabia in the face of regional threat from Iran and its activities.

Trump began his statement by focusing on Iran as an example and said that Tehran is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

“(Iran) is trying to destabilize Iraq’s fragile attempt at democracy, supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon, propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens), and much more. Likewise, the Iranians have killed many Americans and other innocent people throughout the Middle East. Iran states openly, and with great force, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Iran is considered “the world’s leading sponsor of terror,” he added.

Trump then went on to say that congress is “free” to “go in a different direction” on Saudi Arabia, but that he will only consider ideas “consistent" with US security.

“After the United States, Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producing nation in the world. They have worked closely with us and have been very responsive to my requests to keeping oil prices at reasonable levels – so important for the world. As President of the United States I intend to ensure that, in a very dangerous world, America is pursuing its national interests and vigorously contesting countries that wish to do us harm,” a statement released by the White House read.

Trump also spoke of his heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year during which Riyadh agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the US. “This is a record amount of money. It will hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the United States. Of the $450 billion, $110 billion will be spent on the purchase of military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and many other great US defense contractors. If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries – and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business. It would be a wonderful gift to them directly from the United States!,” Trump wrote.

* Al Arabiya