Here’s an interesting article:
RIYADH – Saudi Arabia, fearing that US military action against Iran would wreak further havoc in the region, has asked Russia to block any bid by Washington to secure UN cover for an attack, a Russian diplomat said on Tuesday.
During a visit to Moscow last week, the head of the Saudi National Security Council “urged Russia to strive to prevent the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution which the United States could use as justification to launch a military assault to knock out Iran’s nuclear facilities,†the diplomat told AFP in Riyadh on condition of anonymity.
Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a former longtime ambassador to the United States who is often tasked with delicate missions, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on April 4.
Saudi officials did not give details about the meeting. The Russian diplomat said the talks focused on the row over Iran’s nuclear program but did not make clear what Moscow’s response was to the call for restraining the United States.
There’s one move that would certainly deter (or at least delay) any U. S. attacks on Iran:Â Russia could strongly support economic sanctions with teeth against the Iranian regime.
The Saudi’s are being short sighted here. Their aim seems to be to stay in power. They must be terrified that if the US strikes Iran, the Saudi elite would be swept away in the subsequent rage.
By choosing to do nothing, or at the most some form of sanctions, the rulers are inviting long term destabilzation. Doubtless they imagine they can manage it–perhaps by securing nuclear weapons themselves, but the Iranians won’t be happy to see their advantage lessened.