It appears that the Iranian nuclear program has brought Saudi Arabia and Israel closer together, according to a report in Israeli media.
A European official in Brussels told Israeli Channel 2 that Saudi Arabia has offered to let Israeli fighter jets use its airspace to attack Iran whenever necessary, in exchange for Israel making some kind of progress in the peace talks with Palestinians.
“The Saudi authorities are completely coordinated with Israel on all matters related to Iran,” the official said.
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Sputnik news reports
Using Saudi airspace means that Israeli Defense Forces could strike Tehran at a shorter distance, without having to fly around the Persian Gulf.
The Channel 2 report also highlights shared intelligence between the Jewish state and the Arab nation on Iran’s nuclear program, both worried about the outcome of the Geneva talks currently underway.
Although Jerusalem and Riyadh do not have diplomatic ties, there have been many unconfirmed reports about a possible coordination between them against Iran.
Some other Arab states, including Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have also expressed concerns about Tehran’s nuclear program, which Iran claims is being developed for peaceful purposes only.
Nevertheless, these major Sunni states fear that allowing Iran to continue enriching Uranium and build centrifuges might launch a nuclear arms race in the region.
The Channel 2 report comes amid increased tensions between Washington and Israel over the US position on Iran’s nuclear program.
Niamh Harris