Saudi Foreign Minister refuses to answer question on acquiring nuclear weapons from Pakistan

'Saudi Arabia will do whatever it takes in order to protect our nation and our people from any harm'

Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, says the Kingdom is committed to two things: 'our faith and our security' (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Adel Al-Jubeir, has refused to answer questions about reports Riyadh was attempting to buy nuclear weapons from Pakistan, but said the Kingdom would do "whatever it takes" to protect itself.

When asked about nuclear cooperation with Pakistan, he told CNN on Tuesday: "I am not going to get into details of discussions we have with foreign governments, and certainly not allied governments. I'm sure you understand."

"Saudi Arabia is committed to two things. I always say two things we do not negotiate over: our faith and our security."

He added: "Saudi Arabia will do whatever it takes in order to protect our nation and our people from any harm. And I will leave it at that."

On Monday, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Saudi Arabia and Pakistan against trading nuclear weapons, saying there would be "all kinds of NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] consequences" if they did.

He added: "I mean, there are huge implications of that. And Saudi Arabia knows, I believe, that that is not going to make them safer, nor is it going to be easy, because the very things that Iran went through, they would then be subject to with respect to NPT and inspection and so forth."

Mr Kerry appeared on CNN to dismiss concerns Saudi Arabia may try to buy a nuclear weapon to compete with Iran.

Already tense relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have deteriorated after Saudi Arabia executed the Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, leading Iranians to set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran.