President Donald Trump postponed moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on Thursday, avoiding a provocative step as he tries to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed Trump to the city last week, expressed disappointment at the delay but made it clear he still values Trump&#39;s support.

And the Palestinian leadership were relieved by a decision that they said &quot;gives peace a chance.&quot;&nbsp;

On the campaign trail Trump repeatedly pledged that he would shift the embassy from Tel Aviv to the city claimed as capital by both Israel and its Palestinian neighbors and he appointed a US ambassador who shares this goal.

But since coming to office in January, Trump has met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington and in a visit to the region last week and has committed himself to seeking a long-elusive final peace deal between them.

Congress passed a law in 1995 making it US policy to move the embassy to Jerusalem, symbolically endorsing Israel&#39;s claim on the city as its capital.

But the law contained a clause that has allowed each president since to issue and renew a six-month waiver on carrying out the move.

On Thursday, the waiver came up for renewal for the first time on Trump&#39;s watch, and he followed the example of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama before him in instructing his secretary of state to hold off on the move.

No retreat&nbsp;

&quot;No one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the president&#39;s strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance,&quot; the White House said, in a written statement.

&quot;President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America&#39;s national security interests,&quot; it explained.

&quot;But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when.&quot;

Netanyahu&#39;s office expressed disappointment, but not anger.

&quot;Maintaining embassies outside the capital drives peace further away by helping keep alive the Palestinian fantasy that the Jewish people and the Jewish state have no connection to Jerusalem,&quot; a statement said.

&quot;Though Israel is disappointed that the embassy will not move at this time, we appreciate today&#39;s expression of President Trump&#39;s friendship to Israel and his commitment to moving the embassy in the future.&quot;

Hussam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the United States, also issued a statement.

&quot;This is in line with the long-held US policy and the international consensus and it gives peace a chance,&quot; &nbsp;he said.

&quot;We are ready to start the consultation process with the US administration. We are serious and genuine about achieving a just and lasting peace.&quot;

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity stressed to AFP that &quot;it&#39;s a question of when, not if,&quot; and added that &quot;he doesn&#39;t think the timing is right, right now.&quot;

&quot;In timing such a move he will seek to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians,&quot; he said.

Peace process&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s closest advisors are reported to be divided about the wisdom of quickly making good on the pledge, a move that would delight many Israelis but dismay Palestinians and raise concerns among Israel&#39;s Arab neighbors.

White House strategy chief Steve Bannon supports the move, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is less keen and has said Trump is &quot;being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process.&quot;

In Washington, pro-Israel lobby groups are also divided on the policy.&nbsp;

Progressive group J Street, which favors a two-state peace deal with the Palestinians, welcomed the delay to a move that could imperil efforts to find a deal on the status of the city negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians.

&quot;American governments have avoided and objected to actions that could be interpreted as prejudging the outcome of those negotiations,&quot; the group argued.&nbsp;

But the biggest pro-Israeli group in the US capital, AIPAC, expressed concern.

&quot;We are disappointed that the president has not yet followed through on his pledge to move the embassy, and we hope that he does so soon,&quot; it said.

Jerusalem was divided between Israeli rule in the west and Jordanian in the east until 1967, when Israel was attacked by allied Arab armies.

Israel fought back and its victory left it in control of East Jerusalem. Its government is now based in the city, and settlements have been built around it on occupied land.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem -- including the Old City and its sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians -- to become the capital of their eventual state.

(AFP)

The US president wanted avoid another flash point in the region as he attempts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process

President Donald Trump postponed moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on Thursday, avoiding a provocative step as he tries to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed Trump to the city last week, expressed disappointment at the delay but made it clear he still values Trump's support. And the Palestinian leadership were relieved by a decision that they said "gives peace a chance." On the campaign trail Trump repeatedly pledged that he would shift the embassy from Tel Aviv to the city claimed as capital by both Israel and its Palestinian neighbors and he appointed a US ambassador who shares this goal. But since coming to office in January, Trump has met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington and in a visit to the region last week and has committed himself to seeking a long-elusive final peace deal between them. Congress passed a law in 1995 making it US policy to move the embassy to Jerusalem, symbolically endorsing Israel's claim on the city as its capital. But the law contained a clause that has allowed each president since to issue and renew a six-month waiver on carrying out the move. On Thursday, the waiver came up for renewal for the first time on Trump's watch, and he followed the example of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama before him in instructing his secretary of state to hold off on the move. No retreat "No one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the president's strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance," the White House said, in a written statement. "President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America's national security interests," it explained. "But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when." Netanyahu's office expressed disappointment, but not anger. "Maintaining embassies outside the capital drives peace further away by helping keep alive the Palestinian fantasy that the Jewish people and the Jewish state have no connection to Jerusalem," a statement said. "Though Israel is disappointed that the embassy will not move at this time, we appreciate today's expression of President Trump's friendship to Israel and his commitment to moving the embassy in the future." Hussam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the United States, also issued a statement. "This is in line with the long-held US policy and the international consensus and it gives peace a chance," he said. "We are ready to start the consultation process with the US administration. We are serious and genuine about achieving a just and lasting peace." A US official speaking on condition of anonymity stressed to AFP that "it's a question of when, not if," and added that "he doesn't think the timing is right, right now." "In timing such a move he will seek to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians," he said. Peace process Trump's closest advisors are reported to be divided about the wisdom of quickly making good on the pledge, a move that would delight many Israelis but dismay Palestinians and raise concerns among Israel's Arab neighbors. White House strategy chief Steve Bannon supports the move, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is less keen and has said Trump is "being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process." In Washington, pro-Israel lobby groups are also divided on the policy. Progressive group J Street, which favors a two-state peace deal with the Palestinians, welcomed the delay to a move that could imperil efforts to find a deal on the status of the city negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians. "American governments have avoided and objected to actions that could be interpreted as prejudging the outcome of those negotiations," the group argued. But the biggest pro-Israeli group in the US capital, AIPAC, expressed concern. "We are disappointed that the president has not yet followed through on his pledge to move the embassy, and we hope that he does so soon," it said. Jerusalem was divided between Israeli rule in the west and Jordanian in the east until 1967, when Israel was attacked by allied Arab armies. Israel fought back and its victory left it in control of East Jerusalem. Its government is now based in the city, and settlements have been built around it on occupied land. Palestinians want East Jerusalem -- including the Old City and its sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians -- to become the capital of their eventual state. (AFP)

Palestinians happy as Trump delays moving US embassy to Jerusalem

US President Donald Trump arrived in Israel on Monday to seek ways to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, speaking of a &quot;rare opportunity&quot; to bring stability to the turbulent region.

Trump&#39;s visit is part of his first trip abroad as president and follows an initial stop in Saudi Arabia, where he urged Islamic leaders to confront extremism.

It also comes as he contends with a raft of problems back home, including a special counsel investigating whether his associates colluded with Russia.

Security was extremely tight, with Israeli police deploying some 10,000 officers.&nbsp;

The alleys and passageways of Jerusalem&#39;s ancient Old City, which Trump will visit later in the day, were essentially under lockdown.

Trump landed in Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon, welcomed by officials including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he walked along a red carpet ahead of a brief ceremony.

&quot;On my first trip overseas as president, I have come to this sacred and ancient land to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between the United States and the state of Israel,&quot; Trump said.

He said later, &quot;We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and to its people, defeating terrorism and creating a future of harmony, prosperity and peace. But we can only get there working together. There is no other way.&quot;

Ahead of talks with Netanyahu, Trump will tour two iconic sites in Jerusalem, a city holy to Muslims, Christians and Jews.

The first will be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

Afterwards, he is expected to become the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray and located in east Jerusalem.

The Western Wall visit drew controversy before Trump even left Washington, when US officials declined to say whether it belonged to Israel.

&quot;Jerusalem was and will always be the capital of Israel,&quot; Netanyahu said late Sunday, adding that the Western Wall &quot;will always remain under Israeli sovereignty&quot;.

The status of Jerusalem is ultra-sensitive and has been among the most difficult issues in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967 in moves never recognised by the international community.

It later annexed east Jerusalem and claims the entire city as its capital. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Enormous challenge

Trump will meet Netanyahu at 6:00 pm (1500 GMT).

Ahead of their meeting, Netanyahu&#39;s security cabinet adopted a series of measures aimed at benefiting the Palestinian economy, moves seen as confidence-building measures requested by Trump.

They reportedly included new building permits for Palestinians in the part of the West Bank entirely under Israeli control, which occurs only rarely.

Most of the West Bank is under complete Israeli control and Palestinians face extremely long odds in being granted building permits in those areas, while Israeli settlement building has meanwhile continued.

On Tuesday, Trump will meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem in the West Bank, visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem and give a speech at the Israel Museum.

Any leader would face an enormous challenge in seeking to bring the Israelis and Palestinians together for meaningful talks, and Trump&#39;s inexperience and domestic political struggles will only add to it.

He has spoken of his self-described deal-making prowess in declaring that the &quot;ultimate deal&quot; is possible, vowing &quot;we will get it done&quot;.

&quot;It is something that I think is frankly maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,&quot; Trump said when meeting Abbas in Washington earlier this month.

Trump has sent mixed signals about how he will approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He cast uncertainty over years of international efforts to foster a two-state solution when he met Netanyahu at the White House in February.

Embassy move unclear

At that meeting, he said he would support a single state if it led to peace, delighting Israeli right-wingers who want to see most of the West Bank annexed.

At the same time, he urged Israel to hold back on settlement building in the West Bank, a longstanding concern of Palestinians and much of the world.

Trump advocated during his campaign breaking with decades of precedent and moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, deeply alarming Palestinians.

He has since said the move was still being looked at.

Trump&#39;s seeming openness to at least some of Abbas&#39;s concerns has given Palestinians more reason for hope than many may have expected, but still reason to remain wary, some analysts say.

On the Israeli side, Netanyahu heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in the country&#39;s history, and members of his coalition were elated with Trump&#39;s election.

Some even called for an end to the idea of a Palestinian state.

Trump&#39;s actions since have left them disappointed, with the embassy remaining in Tel Aviv -- at least for now -- and the White House seeking to restart peace efforts.

However, the United States remains Israel&#39;s most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid annually.

After Israel and the Palestinian territories, Trump will head to the Vatican along with Brussels and Italy for NATO and G7 meetings.

(AFP)

Trump will hold talks with Israel PM Netanyahu later in the day and travel to the occupied West Bank on Tuesday to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas

US President Donald Trump arrived in Israel on Monday to seek ways to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, speaking of a "rare opportunity" to bring stability to the turbulent region. Trump's visit is part of his first trip abroad as president and follows an initial stop in Saudi Arabia, where he urged Islamic leaders to confront extremism. It also comes as he contends with a raft of problems back home, including a special counsel investigating whether his associates colluded with Russia. Security was extremely tight, with Israeli police deploying some 10,000 officers. The alleys and passageways of Jerusalem's ancient Old City, which Trump will visit later in the day, were essentially under lockdown. Trump landed in Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon, welcomed by officials including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he walked along a red carpet ahead of a brief ceremony. "On my first trip overseas as president, I have come to this sacred and ancient land to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between the United States and the state of Israel," Trump said. He said later, "We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and to its people, defeating terrorism and creating a future of harmony, prosperity and peace. But we can only get there working together. There is no other way." Ahead of talks with Netanyahu, Trump will tour two iconic sites in Jerusalem, a city holy to Muslims, Christians and Jews. The first will be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Afterwards, he is expected to become the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray and located in east Jerusalem. The Western Wall visit drew controversy before Trump even left Washington, when US officials declined to say whether it belonged to Israel. "Jerusalem was and will always be the capital of Israel," Netanyahu said late Sunday, adding that the Western Wall "will always remain under Israeli sovereignty". The status of Jerusalem is ultra-sensitive and has been among the most difficult issues in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967 in moves never recognised by the international community. It later annexed east Jerusalem and claims the entire city as its capital. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Enormous challenge Trump will meet Netanyahu at 6:00 pm (1500 GMT). Ahead of their meeting, Netanyahu's security cabinet adopted a series of measures aimed at benefiting the Palestinian economy, moves seen as confidence-building measures requested by Trump. They reportedly included new building permits for Palestinians in the part of the West Bank entirely under Israeli control, which occurs only rarely. Most of the West Bank is under complete Israeli control and Palestinians face extremely long odds in being granted building permits in those areas, while Israeli settlement building has meanwhile continued. On Tuesday, Trump will meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem in the West Bank, visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem and give a speech at the Israel Museum. Any leader would face an enormous challenge in seeking to bring the Israelis and Palestinians together for meaningful talks, and Trump's inexperience and domestic political struggles will only add to it. He has spoken of his self-described deal-making prowess in declaring that the "ultimate deal" is possible, vowing "we will get it done". "It is something that I think is frankly maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years," Trump said when meeting Abbas in Washington earlier this month. Trump has sent mixed signals about how he will approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He cast uncertainty over years of international efforts to foster a two-state solution when he met Netanyahu at the White House in February. Embassy move unclear At that meeting, he said he would support a single state if it led to peace, delighting Israeli right-wingers who want to see most of the West Bank annexed. At the same time, he urged Israel to hold back on settlement building in the West Bank, a longstanding concern of Palestinians and much of the world. Trump advocated during his campaign breaking with decades of precedent and moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, deeply alarming Palestinians. He has since said the move was still being looked at. Trump's seeming openness to at least some of Abbas's concerns has given Palestinians more reason for hope than many may have expected, but still reason to remain wary, some analysts say. On the Israeli side, Netanyahu heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in the country's history, and members of his coalition were elated with Trump's election. Some even called for an end to the idea of a Palestinian state. Trump's actions since have left them disappointed, with the embassy remaining in Tel Aviv -- at least for now -- and the White House seeking to restart peace efforts. However, the United States remains Israel's most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion in defence aid annually. After Israel and the Palestinian territories, Trump will head to the Vatican along with Brussels and Italy for NATO and G7 meetings. (AFP)

Trump in Israel says 'rare opportunity' to bring peace to region

US President Donald Trump said Monday during a visit to Jerusalem that Iran must never be allowed to have nuclear weapons while also denouncing Tehran&#39;s support for &quot;terrorists&quot;.

&quot;Most importantly the United States and Israel can declare with one voice that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon -- never ever -- and must cease its deadly funding, training and equipping of terrorists and militias,&quot; Trump said in remarks at Israeli President Reuven Rivlin&#39;s residence.

&quot;And it must cease immediately.&quot;

Trump&#39;s remarks were his latest salvo against Iran since starting his first foreign trip after taking office.

On the first leg of his trip in Saudi Arabia, Trump lashed out at Iran, accusing it of fuelling &quot;the fires of sectarian conflict and terror&quot; and calling for its international isolation.

Trump&#39;s Saudi visit &#39;just a show&#39;: Iran&#39;s President Rouhani

Iran&#39;s newly re-elected President Hassan Rouhani dismissed President Trump&#39;s summit with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia this weekend as &quot;just a show&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;The gathering in Saudi Arabia was just a show with no practical or political value of any kind. You can&#39;t solve terrorism just by giving people&#39;s money to a superpower,&quot; Rouhani said at a press conference on Tehran, referring to the billion-dollar deals signed between the US and Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

 
The yawning gap between Tehran and Washington has grown even wider with US President Donald Trump&#39;s latest efforts to isolate Iran, which accused the United States of &quot;milking&quot; Saudi Arabia for petro-dollars.

Trump&#39;s choice of Saudi Arabia, Iran&#39;s bitter regional rival, for his first official foreign visit reflects the deep antagonism of his administration towards the Islamic republic.

The US president signed a giant list of deals, worth a total of $380 billion, including $110 billion for weapons that will invariably find their way into the numerous conflicts of the region -- including Syria, Yemen and Iraq -- where Riyadh and Tehran often find themselves on opposing sides.&nbsp;

Trump also vilified Iran as the greatest source of instability in the Middle East, though many observers noted the irony that his claims came on the same day that 41 million Iranians enthusiastically took part in elections, with a sizeable majority backing President Hassan Rouhani and his policy of engagement with the world.

Relations with the US and Iran have been under deep freeze since the Islamic revolution of 1979, which deposed the Washington-backed shah.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s team is dedicated to reversing his predecessor&#39;s efforts at rapprochement with Iran, which saw a nuclear deal signed in 2015, lifting many sanctions.&nbsp;

&quot;From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region,&quot; Trump said in Riyadh on Sunday.&nbsp;

He called on all countries to work together to isolate Iran &quot;until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace&quot;.

Analysts fear tensions are growing out of control.

&quot;Battlelines are being drawn and it&#39;s worrying, especially when it comes just a day after the election victory of Rouhani which showed a real dynamic in favour of democratisation and opening in Iranian society,&quot; said Azadeh Kian of Sciences Po University in Paris.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&#39;Bastion of democracy&#39; 
 
Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who spearheaded the nuclear negotiations, reacted sarcastically, &nbsp;comparing this weekend&#39;s elections in Iran to the lack of democracy in Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

&quot;Iran -- fresh from real elections -- attacked by @POTUS in that bastion of democracy and moderation,&quot; Zarif tweeted, referring to the US president.

Is that a serious foreign policy, he asked, or is the US &quot;simply milking&quot; Saudi Arabia for billions of dollars?&nbsp;

Tehran sees itself as the vital force holding back the advance of the Islamic State jihadist group both in Syria and Iraq, and finds it hard to comprehend US bellicosity.&nbsp;

Shiite Iran regularly points to the Saudis&#39; fundamentalist Wahhabi creed and their efforts to spread it around the Muslim world as the root cause of violent Sunni jihadism.&nbsp;

&quot;Unfortunately, with the hostile and offensive policies of American officials, we see once again the reinforcement of terrorist groups in the region... and the dictators that support them,&quot; said Iran&#39;s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi on Monday.

The US and its Arab allies in the Gulf respond that Iran and Russia&#39;s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has helped perpetuate the chaos.&nbsp;

And they say Iran&#39;s support for Lebanese militia Hezbollah and Shiite Huthi rebel forces in Yemen are deeply destabilising.&nbsp;

But Iran&#39;s Press TV wrote on Sunday that the aggression coming from Riyadh this weekend ultimately reflected the Saudis&#39; realisation that they are losing in conflicts across the Middle East.&nbsp;

&quot;The Riyadh regime has... failed to achieve its objectives despite going to great expense,&quot; it wrote in an editorial. 
 
(AFP)

Trump arrived in Tel Aviv earlier Monday and is due to hold talks with Israeli PM Netanyahu later in the day

US President Donald Trump said Monday during a visit to Jerusalem that Iran must never be allowed to have nuclear weapons while also denouncing Tehran's support for "terrorists". "Most importantly the United States and Israel can declare with one voice that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon -- never ever -- and must cease its deadly funding, training and equipping of terrorists and militias," Trump said in remarks at Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's residence. "And it must cease immediately." Trump's remarks were his latest salvo against Iran since starting his first foreign trip after taking office. On the first leg of his trip in Saudi Arabia, Trump lashed out at Iran, accusing it of fuelling "the fires of sectarian conflict and terror" and calling for its international isolation. Trump's Saudi visit 'just a show': Iran's President Rouhani Iran's newly re-elected President Hassan Rouhani dismissed President Trump's summit with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia this weekend as "just a show". "The gathering in Saudi Arabia was just a show with no practical or political value of any kind. You can't solve terrorism just by giving people's money to a superpower," Rouhani said at a press conference on Tehran, referring to the billion-dollar deals signed between the US and Saudi Arabia. The yawning gap between Tehran and Washington has grown even wider with US President Donald Trump's latest efforts to isolate Iran, which accused the United States of "milking" Saudi Arabia for petro-dollars. Trump's choice of Saudi Arabia, Iran's bitter regional rival, for his first official foreign visit reflects the deep antagonism of his administration towards the Islamic republic. The US president signed a giant list of deals, worth a total of $380 billion, including $110 billion for weapons that will invariably find their way into the numerous conflicts of the region -- including Syria, Yemen and Iraq -- where Riyadh and Tehran often find themselves on opposing sides. Trump also vilified Iran as the greatest source of instability in the Middle East, though many observers noted the irony that his claims came on the same day that 41 million Iranians enthusiastically took part in elections, with a sizeable majority backing President Hassan Rouhani and his policy of engagement with the world. Relations with the US and Iran have been under deep freeze since the Islamic revolution of 1979, which deposed the Washington-backed shah. Trump's team is dedicated to reversing his predecessor's efforts at rapprochement with Iran, which saw a nuclear deal signed in 2015, lifting many sanctions. "From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region," Trump said in Riyadh on Sunday. He called on all countries to work together to isolate Iran "until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace". Analysts fear tensions are growing out of control. "Battlelines are being drawn and it's worrying, especially when it comes just a day after the election victory of Rouhani which showed a real dynamic in favour of democratisation and opening in Iranian society," said Azadeh Kian of Sciences Po University in Paris. 'Bastion of democracy' Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who spearheaded the nuclear negotiations, reacted sarcastically, comparing this weekend's elections in Iran to the lack of democracy in Saudi Arabia. "Iran -- fresh from real elections -- attacked by @POTUS in that bastion of democracy and moderation," Zarif tweeted, referring to the US president. Is that a serious foreign policy, he asked, or is the US "simply milking" Saudi Arabia for billions of dollars? Tehran sees itself as the vital force holding back the advance of the Islamic State jihadist group both in Syria and Iraq, and finds it hard to comprehend US bellicosity. Shiite Iran regularly points to the Saudis' fundamentalist Wahhabi creed and their efforts to spread it around the Muslim world as the root cause of violent Sunni jihadism. "Unfortunately, with the hostile and offensive policies of American officials, we see once again the reinforcement of terrorist groups in the region... and the dictators that support them," said Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi on Monday. The US and its Arab allies in the Gulf respond that Iran and Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has helped perpetuate the chaos. And they say Iran's support for Lebanese militia Hezbollah and Shiite Huthi rebel forces in Yemen are deeply destabilising. But Iran's Press TV wrote on Sunday that the aggression coming from Riyadh this weekend ultimately reflected the Saudis' realisation that they are losing in conflicts across the Middle East. "The Riyadh regime has... failed to achieve its objectives despite going to great expense," it wrote in an editorial. (AFP)

Trumps continues Iran nuclear tirade as tensions mount in West Asia

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Palestinians happy as Trump delays moving US embassy to Jerusalem

Trump in Israel says 'rare opportunity' to bring peace to region

Trumps continues Iran nuclear tirade as tensions mount in West Asia