Saudi crown prince meets US Senator Chris Murphy in Riyadh

Right · 2Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met US Senator Chris Murphy in Riyadh on Monday 5 October, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). 1 2 Right · 1Murphy sits on the Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations committees and was accompanied by a delegation. 1 Right · 1SPA said the two sides discussed Saudi-US relations, regional and international developments and issues of mutual interest. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban also attended. 1

Right · 1Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, announced the meeting on X. He said it was important to be there to recognise areas for joint work, including ending the war with Iran and a pathway to a Palestinian state, and that neither would happen without Saudi help. 2 Right · 1Murphy said he has disagreed with the Saudis, particularly over Saudi investments in President Donald Trump's family businesses, and that the topics were discussed without conclusions. He said the crown prince should hear from people who want a different path as well as from the Trump administration. 2 Right · 1Fox News noted that Murphy did not mention Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post journalist killed by Saudi operatives at the Saudi consulate in Turkey in 2018, though Murphy had earlier demanded Saudi accountability. Fox said it asked Murphy's office for comment. 2

Right · 1The meeting was part of a regional trip that began in Qatar on Saturday. Murphy said he was likely the first Democrat in the Middle East since the Iran war began earlier this year, and met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and diplomat Ali Al Thawadi. 2