Biden to discuss oil output hike in Saudi Arabia, up pressure on Iran
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After landing in Saudi Arabia, US President Joe Biden will discuss with Saudi officials an increase in oil production and pumping energy into the global markets while also adhering to the "maximum pressure policy" on Iran.
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US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan
The US delegation visiting Saudi Arabia, headed by President Joe Biden, will discuss during their visit to Saudi Arabia the possibility of Riyadh increasing its oil production and pumping out more oil into the global market, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday.
"We will discuss energy security at this meeting. The President [Biden] discusses it when he's in Europe, when he's in Asia and he certainly will be discussing it here in the Middle East and here in Saudi Arabia" Sullivan said.
Biden arrived at Al-Lydd's Ben Gurion Airport, occupied Palestine, on Wednesday, where he was received by high-ranking Israeli officials on his first official visit to occupied Palestine as President. He is scheduled to meet with Lapid and other senior Israeli officials on Thursday.
Biden spent two days in occupied Al-Quds for talks with Israeli officials then headed to the occupied West Bank to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday. He packed his bags and headed to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday after concluding his tour in occupied Palestine.
The tour will see the US leader try and mend ties with Saudi Arabia to persuade Riyadh and other Gulf allies to pump out more oil in the markets as the Biden administration faces mounting criticism over the soaring oil prices.
More sanctions on Iran
Upon completing his first leg in occupied Palestine, he signed with Israeli occupation caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid a security pact reinforcing the US-Israeli front against the Islamic Republic.
Iranian army commander Abdolrahim Mousavi said on television that Tehran was "aware of the aggressive attitude in the (United States') system of domination, it is necessary to increase our defensive capabilities day-by-day."
Sullivan revealed that his country intended to hike economic pressure on Iran and introduce new rounds of sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
"The deal is on the table. Should the Iranians choose to take it, we're ready for compliance, for compliance return. But we're also not waiting to continue to impose economic pressure on Iran," Sullivan said.
"Further economic pressure on Iran will include two rounds of sanctions. Designations that we have done to enforce the sanctions and crack down on smuggling and deprive Iran of sources of revenue will continue to do that, even as we work at the negotiating table to try to produce a return to the JCPOA," he claimed.
US President Joe Biden and Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid have been reportedly discussing signing an accord that will see the two upping the commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and carrying out "destabilizing activities", a senior US administration official said Thursday.
Major powers and Iran were holding talks in the Austrian capital of Vienna with the aim of reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement and returning the United States to it following Washington's unilateral withdrawal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, who accompanied his decision with the imposition of harsh sanctions on Tehran.
The Biden administration had pledged to stop embarking on the Trump administration's "maximum pressure policy", but it has only been going against its promises.
The negotiations are yet to yield a deal, and Biden wants to ensure that Washington, "Tel Aviv", and Riyadh are on the same page on Tehran if the Iran nuclear talks fail, The New York Times said, noting that the US President is hoping the talks succeed.
European "independence"
The US official also revealed that his country was making joint efforts with Washington's partners in Asia and West Asia to end Europe's dependence on Russian energy by increasing oil and gas supplies to Europe.
"[T]hat doesn't happen overnight, but it does require the concerted common effort of the United States and many other countries working to help increase supply to Europe," he said.
"We're doing that and, frankly, we're doing that along with partners in Asia and partners in the Middle East."
