ARAB League foreign ministers held an extraordinary meeting yesterday with a single agenda item – condemnation of the ransacking of Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic mission in Iran and Tehran’s “meddling” in Arab affairs.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) welcomes United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura …
Tensions between the Sunni Muslim kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Shi’ite Muslim Iran have escalated since Saudi authorities executed Shi’ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2, triggering outrage among Shi’ites across the Middle East. Iran backs the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Saudi Arabia has provided support to Sunni rebels.
“We will not allow Saudi actions to have a negative impact”. But the recording contained a footnote indicating that it was carried out by Shi’ite youth seeking to avenge the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a vocal critic of the kingdom’s Sunni Muslim monarchy.
Iran, which denounced the attacks on the embassies and vowed to punish the perpetrators, has accused Saudi Arabia of using the crisis to distract attention from the execution and as a cover for anti-Iranian diplomatic efforts.
Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al-Arabi said on Sunday that Iran’s regime was involved in “provocative acts” against countries in the region.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil has refused to support the Arab League resolution condemning Iran, an Arab League statement said yesterday.
In response to a question on Canada’s cutting of ties with Iran, Jaber Ansari said the position by some Canadian officials in the media, after the new government was announced, is a failed policy bearing no fruits.
“Iran, confident of its strength, has refused to retaliate or break – or even downgrade – diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia”, Zarif wrote.
Saudi Arabia and Iran had joined global talks launched in Vienna past year that backed an 18-month plan to end the conflict and foresees further talks on January 25.
A knock-on effect for peace talks on Syria?
Jubeir said some countries had offered to mediate but that required Iran to be serious about the efforts.
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A source said that the Saudi defence minister is expected to conclude a military co-operation arrangement during the trip, which the two sides have been negotiating recently.
