Saudi Arabia attack leaves region on ‘brink of the abyss’, says Macron

The Sept. 14 attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities has “changed the game” in the Gulf region, French President Emmanuel Macron tells the UN General Assembly in New York.

“After this, the risk today is of a conflagration arising from a miscalculation or a disproportional response,” Macron warns.

“Peace is at the mercy of an incident degenerating, and the consequences for the whole region and beyond would be too grave for us to be satisfied with living like this, on the brink of the abyss.”

“More than ever, I strongly believe, it is time for negotiations to resume between the United States of America, Iran, the signatories of the JCPOA [nuclear agreement], and the regional powers who are the most closely concerned by its security and stability,” Macron argues.

Talks should aim at ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, ending the Yemen conflict and developing “a regional security plan integrating the other conflicts in the region and the security of maritime traffic,” as well as, “finally,” the lifting of sanctions against Iran, Macron says.