Obama urges more Iran sanctions over alleged Saudi murder plot

US President Barack Obama says he wants to see the “toughest sanctions” aimed at the Iranian regime. The alleged plot to murder the Saudi Ambassador to the United States is, three days after the revelations, still making for tough stances from all sides.

Reuters

It also means many are asking how the United States’s appalling relationship with Iran can get any worse.

Obama had not spoken publicly about the supposed plot since alleged details were first made public by the administration on Tuesday. The US President says “the facts are there for all to see.”

Three days after first details emerged, both the White House and the State Department are trying to counter scepticism and disbelief. Too amateurish, too far-fetched, is the opinion of many experts.

From Iran come further denials that its government was in any way involved plotting to kill Saudi Ambassador Abel Al-Jubeir. The State Department says it has been in direct contact with Iran, a rarity considering the two countries have no official diplomatic relationship. It is unclear whether this contact was made before or after the details of the alleged plot were revealed.

The United States is now trying to rally the troops, it wants as many countries as possible onboard to implement further sanctions on Iran.