The sectarian struggle between mostly Shiite Iran and predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia has helped fuel the war, while Assad is also backed by Russian Federation.
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The support for the Syrian rebels is only the latest chapter in the decades-long relationship between Saudi spy services and the United States, an alliance that has endured through the Iran-contra scandal, support for the mujahedeen against the Soviets in Afghanistan and proxy fights in Africa. He added that despite the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, the US remained deeply troubled about destabilizing Iranian actions in the region. “We will continue to work in the region with our friends and our allies”. Iran previously said it had arrested 40 people over the embassy attack in Tehran, and another four after the consulate was torched in Mashhad.
Kerry delivered the remarks to US Embassy employees a day after meeting with Saudi and other Perisian Gulf officials.
US Secretary of State John Kerry says goodbye to Saudi Arabian military personnel as he leaves Riyadh.
Last week, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the 57-member group, also condemned the attacks.
“Like the British embassy attack before it, this was against the country [Iran] and Islam, and I didn’t like it”, he said, referring to a mob ransacking Britain’s embassy in Tehran in 2011. The kingdom and its Gulf neighbours perceive a lack of support from their traditional ally Washington, particularly in the face of what they see as Iran’s “interference” in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere. The historic deal, implemented a week ago, lifted sanctions on Tehran and unfroze billions of dollars in assets.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly to the delicate diplomacy, said there had been no signs yet that Saudi-Iran hostility was compromising the Syria peace effort. “I don’t believe the United States is under any illusion as to what type of government Iran is”.
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Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir has denied the existence of any Pakistani mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, reported BNA on Sunday.
