If Saudi Arabia "takes any action, it will respond with more action," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement, citing the "influential and vital role of the oil-rich kingdom in the global economy."
Saudi Arabia "affirms its total rejection of any threat and attempts to undermine it, whether threatening to impose economic sanctions, using political pressure or repeating false accusations," the Foreign Ministry said.
The "accusations" in question are statements by Turkish officials that a team of Saudi agents killed and dismembered Mr. Khashoggi, a Washington Post resident and columnist, who was last seen at the Saudi Consulate. in Istanbul the afternoon of October. two.
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and other Saudi officials have said they have no knowledge of Mr. Khashoggi's fate.
The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, columnist of the Washington Post and Saudi dissident, made the international headlines. From reaction conspiracies to blaming Qatar, here is how the Saudi media are portraying history.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has demanded an explanation.
But other Turkish officials, speaking on condition of anonymity and citing confidential intelligence, have let out a steady stream of leaks detailing what they say was the brutal killing of Mr. Khashoggi at the hands of a 15-member Saudi team sent to Turkey that day. . Two private jets with the mission to kill him.
These leaks have contributed to increased pressure from Congress and other Western governments for Saudi Arabia to explain what happened. Although the images of the security camera show that Mr. Khashoggi entered the consulate, no evidence has emerged to show him that he is leaving. His fiancée has said he waited outside in the night.
On Sunday, Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement in which they demanded a "credible investigation to establish the truth about what happened and, if relevant, to identify those responsible for the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi and ensure that they were he has to give an account "
The foreign ministers of the three European governments said in the statement that they "expect the Saudi government to provide a complete and detailed response" and that "we have transmitted this message directly to the Saudi authorities."
In Washington, legislators on both sides had already demanded some sanctions if it is proved that Saudi Arabia is responsible for the death of Mr. Khashoggi, and on Sunday, more people added their voices.
"If this is proven true, there will be a response from Congress," Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, said in an interview on "Meet the Press" on NBC on Sunday. "It's going to be almost unanimous, it's going to be quick, and it's going to be pretty far."
The moral credibility of the United States, Mr. Rubio said, “is undermined and compromised if we somehow decide that because an ally who is important did that, we’re not going to call it out.”
The threats of retaliation from the West sent the Saudi stock market plunging as much as 7 percent on Sunday, the first day of the business week in the kingdom.
The Saudi statement criticizing Mr. Trump did not repeat the previous assertions of the crown prince and others that Mr. Khashoggi had left the consulate freely. But the statement also offered no further information about his disappearance.
On Friday, a Saudi delegation led by Prince Khaled bin Faisal visited Ankara to meet with Mr. Erdogan. Prince Khaled, 78, is a senior member of the family, the governor of Mecca, and an adviser to King Salman, so his role in the mission underscored the seriousness of the crisis in the eyes of the king.
But Prince Khaled’s delegation left Ankara after a few hours without making any statement. Then late Sunday night, King Salman himself called Mr. Erdogan. A semiofficial Turkish news agency said they had discussed the importance of a joint investigation.
Mr. Trump has embraced Saudi Arabia as his administration’s pre-eminent Arab ally. He made Riyadh the destination of his first foreign trip as president, and his White House has been especially supportive of the 33-year old crown prince. Mr. Trump repeatedly expressed his confidence in the young prince even while he was still challenging older family members for dominance of the royal court.
And the president’s adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has reportedly formed an especially close partnership with Prince Mohammed, who holds most of the power inside the kingdom and acts as day-to-day ruler on behalf of his elderly father.
The Saudi statement on Sunday was the first sign of tension between the president and the crown prince.
Until now, Prince Mohammed has had nothing but high praise for Mr. Trump, even after potentially awkward statements like his campaign pledge to ban Muslims from entering the United States or his more recent demands that Saudi Arabia pay more for its own defense.
“You might not be there for two weeks without us,” Mr. Trump recently said he had told King Salman.
Mr. Trump’s statements about Mr. Khashoggi, however, may have touched a nerve.
Saudi Arabia and U.S. Clash Over Khashoggi Case
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Reviewed by Musa Ali
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