A war between Israel and Iran should be avoided, the Saudi Foreign Minister said in Davos on Tuesday, adding that he did not see the administration of US President Donald Trump contributing to the risk of such conflict.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud also told the Davos gathering he hoped President Trump's approach to Iran would be met with a willingness by Tehran to positively engage with the US administration and address the issue of its nuclear program.
"Obviously, a war between Iran and Israel, any war in our region, is something we should try to avoid as much as possible," Prince Faisal said, speaking during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland.
"I don't see the incoming US administration as contributory to the risk of war, on the contrary, President Trump has been quite clear he does not favor conflict."
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, who spoke during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland, announced Tuesday evening that he would visit Lebanon later this week, the first such trip in more than a decade.
He also called for concentrated efforts to see "concrete actions and real reform in Lebanon," at Davos. "We must avoid a war between Lebanon and Israel and any war in our region. We live in a region full of dangers, but it also has enormous potential," he stated.
His comments came weeks after Lebanon elected Joseph Aoun as their next president following a two-year void. The prime minister was quickly instructed to form a new government.
He expressed a sense of optimism for Lebanon's future.
Re-engagement in Beirut
Beirut has seen levels of disengagement from international actors due to Hezbollah's role and hold over the state. Hezbollah, which has supported Yemen's Houthi terrorist organization, has, in turn, been a player in the Houthis attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for years, Al-Aribya reported.
The Saudi Foreign Minister is following in the footsteps of multiple world leaders who have already taken the same trip.
France's Emanuel Macron visited last week.
Reuters contributed to this report.