Saudi Crown Prince Gives First-Ever US Interview to ‘60 Minutes’
(MEE) — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will arrive in the US on Monday for high-level meetings with President Donald Trump the next day. Still, before he visits the White House, the Saudi heir will introduce himself to the American public, Arab News reported.
On Sunday night, the CBS television network will air an interview with the 32-year-old crown prince on its flagship “60 Minutes” current affairs program, and for his first-ever interview with a US broadcaster, no subject was off limits.
“There were no time restrictions and no preconditions,” Norah O’Donnell, the CBS anchorwoman who interviewed the crown prince in Riyadh, told Arab News.
“It seemed to me that there was a desire to show the American public what he believes, to show that Saudi Arabia is changing. The crown prince wants the US audience to understand him.”
The interview is wide-ranging and remarkably candid, with topics including the war in Yemen and the anti-corruption investigation launched last year at the prince’s behest, which resulted in high-ranking businessmen and officials being detained, she told the Arab News.
“For the first time, the crown prince tells in his own words what happened at the Ritz-Carlton. He speaks forcefully about Iran and about the role of women in Saudi society. He also talks about how Islam has been misinterpreted by extremists, whether it has to do with women’s rights or education or larger cultural traditions,” said O’Donnell.
Bin Salman says his country will develop a nuclear bomb if Iran does so. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” he says in an excerpt from the interview.
“I think some of that may be newsworthy,” O’Donnell said.
Saudi Arabia's crown prince says his country will develop a nuclear bomb if Iran builds nuclear weapons. Mohammed Bin Salman made that startling statement during @NorahODonnell's recent visit to Saudi Arabia for this Sunday's @60Minutes https://t.co/iTga0YCnPm pic.twitter.com/iKRXt6pqYZ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 15, 2018
Watch the full episode here:
Earlier, CBS released a partial “teaser” transcript of the interview in advance:
For “60 Minutes,” O’Donnell asked the crown prince about Trump’s visit to the kingdom in May his senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
O’DONNELL: The White House chose Saudi Arabia for President Trump’s first visit as president. And you rolled out the red carpet for him. What’s your relationship like with President Trump?
MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN: President Trump is the elected US president, and the Saudi-American relations are historic going back nearly 80 years. In fact, Saudi Arabia is the oldest ally to the US in the Middle East before any other country.
O’DONNELL: One of the things that President Trump has talked about is Middle East peace. He has his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, working on that. That’s part of his portfolio. I know that you’ve met with him. Have you discussed Middle East peace with him?
MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN: That’s right. Jared is assigned this portfolio by the White House. … Our duty as Saudis is to improve relations with our allies and with all representatives of these institutions.
O’DONNELL: Does President Trump’s decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem help or hurt the peace process?
MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN: We try to focus on the efforts that promote peace for all. We do not try to focus on anything that might create tension. It is my nature always to be positive. So, I try to focus on the things that will support the interests of the Palestinian people and the interests of all.
Read more about Saudi Arabia:
- Saudi Crown Prince Officially Visits America: What You Need to Know
- Trump Asked Saudi King for $4 Billion to Get US Troops Out of Syria
- French Arrest Warrant Issued for Saudi Crown Prince’s Sister
- Saudi FM Defends Invasion of Yemen as a ‘Just War, Supported by International Law’
- US May Open Path for Saudi Arabia to Acquire Nuclear Weapons
- Lawyers Call to Remove Saudi Arabia From UN Human Rights Council
- Saudi Arabia Asks for All 9/11 Lawsuits to Be Dropped
By MEE staff / Republished with permission / Middle East Eye / Report a typo
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