As reported by Al Arabyia on December 19, Kerry announced that ISIS is on its way to defeat.  The Secretary of State said the US condemns the terrorist attacks that took place in the Yemeni city of Aden on Sunday.  He said that the war in Yemen must end in a way that will protect the security of Saudi Arabia, and urged all Yemeni parties to return to the negotiating table.  Kerry insisted that, like Saudi Arabia, the U.S. also rejects Iranian interference in Yemen. 

Kerry, whose trip, coming just ahead of the inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, was received by King Salman, held meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, and other royalty in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. 

In turbulent times, its good to have solid friends,Kerry told journalists Sunday night.  Thats why the United Statespartnership with Saudi Arabia is rightly so valuable. 

Diplomats from Britain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates joined Kerry earlier to speak withthe United Nations special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.  The UAE is part of the Arab coalition fighting Houthis, while Oman has served as an interlocutor for them. 

On Twitter, British Middle East Minister, Tobias Ellwood, said the meeting discussed a political process to end Yemens war, something he described as the only way to bring peace, according to the AP. 

Kerry said parties would hopefully agree to terms earlier set out by the UN within two weeks, but he and the Saudi Foreign Minister offered few specifics on how that would be accomplished.  Now that the UN has proposed sidelining Saudi-backed President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and giving the rebels a share of power, concessions the kingdom strongly opposes, it seems unlikely to happen.  

You can see from the humanitarian situation, which is dire and deteriorating rapidly, that it is urgent that we try to bring this war to a close,Kerry said. But we also need to bring it to a close in a way that protects the security of Saudi Arabia.