Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, the world's largest Arab country by land size and – as the world’s largest crude oil producer – one of the region's wealthiest nations, has also been (until now, secretly) a strong opponent to Iran’s growing nuclear capabilities. But according to a cable recording a conversation between Saudi Ambassador to the US Adel al-Jubair and a US diplomat, Saudi King Abdullah repeatedly urged the US to attack Iran. “He told you to cut the head off the snake,” al-Jubair told the diplomat – the snake, of course, being Iran. The cables also reveal a US plan to reduce Chinese energy dependence on Iran by increasing China's purchases of Saudi oil.
Fahad Shadeed/Reuters/File
