Iran Press/ Iran news: “Trump must be held accountable before the world for his support for Riyadh’s terror squad in the ‘Khashoggi-gate’ scandal,” wrote Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iranian Parliament Speaker's Special Aide, in a tweet on Monday, Mehr News Agency reported.
He was referring to the murder of Saudi journalist Kamal Khashoggi at Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, and US president’s continued defense of the Saudi royal family.
Amir-Abdollahian went on to add, “At the same time, Saudi Arabia, as a violator of human rights in Yemen, Bahrain, and the perpetrator of Khashoggi’s murder, must be dropped from the UN Human Rights Council.”
Saudi Arabia confirmed Saturday for the first time that Jamal Khashoggi died in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul earlier this month, claiming that the his death came after an argument and a “fist fight” with men in the facility.
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US President Donald Trump said that Saudi Arabia's explanation for how journalist Jamal Khashoggi died at its consulate in Istanbul was credible.
The US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said the Saudi kingdom's explanation was a “good first step but not enough". He added it was too soon to discuss any sanctions against the world's biggest oil exporter.
Washington has remained more hesitant to threaten Riyadh with economic consequences, with Trump saying repeatedly that he did not want the Khashoggi issue to jeopardize $110 billion US arms deal with the Kingdom.
Jamal Khashoggi disappeared on October 2 in Istanbul, and was last seen entering the Saudi Consulate, where he went to receive papers required to remarry.
On Friday, amid pressure from the international community, Saudi authorities announced that a fistfight had broken out between Khashoggi and people who met him at the consulate, with the altercation leading to his death.
Riyadh noted that 18 Saudi nationals had been detained in connection with the case, and that intelligence chief Ahmad Assiri and senior aide to the crown prince Saud al-Qahtani were sacked over the incident.
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UN chief: 'deeply troubled' by the confirmation of Khashoggi’s death
Dutch PM calls for broader investigation on Khashoggi's killing
Nasrallah: Saudi Arabia and US in a difficult bind after Khashoggi murder
Trump says it appears Khashoggi is dead
