US President Donald Trump says Saudi Arabia functions as a counterbalance to Iran in the Middle East region and this has put Washington in a “complex” situation with regards to Riyadh’s explanation about dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death.
“They [Saudis] have been a great ally in the Middle East. We need them as a counter-balance to Iran. So it’s not the simplest solution. It’s not the simplest situation to be in,” Trump said Friday.
The remarks came after Riyadh admitted that Khashoggi, who had gone missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, was killed in a “fight with people who met him” inside the building.
Trump told reporters that he found the account “credible” although he had to talk to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to clear up a few more things.
Asked whether he would stay true to his pledges of punishing the perpetrators of the apparent murder, Trump said the situation…