The “North Thunder drills represent a clear message that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its brothers and friends of the participating countries stand united to confront all challenges and maintain peace and stability in the region”, the SPA said.
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Saudi Arabia has sent troops and fighter jets to a Turkish military base ahead of a possible ground invasion of Syria.
Saudi Arabia and other countries in its coalition are helping the moderate groups and coordinating them through a united command center in the country, Ahmed Asiri said.
He also expressed Iran’s support for Russia’s military assistance to the Syrian government, adding that Tehran and Moscow coordinate their political and military measures in Syria.
US President Barack Obama has ruled out sending US ground troops to Syria.
However, the head of air defence forces in Iran, which along with Russian Federation is the main supporter of Assad, said any interference without Syrian consent would fail.
“The terrorists who are fighting in Syria are employees of Saudi Arabia or the Americans and the reactionary forces in the region”, he claimed.
On Sunday, he told a press conference in Riyadh that previous efforts to prop up Assad by Iran had failed.
Jubeir said there was no need for mediation in the rift, citing what he described as Iran’s long pattern of interference in regional conflicts.
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Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran last month after protesters outraged over the kingdom’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric set fire to the Saudi Embassy and another diplomatic mission.
