Iran’s Rouhani Urges End To Saudi ‘Instrusions’ In Mideast

In the Vienna talks which was attended by Assad’s main backer Iran, all countries including the European Union and the United Nations called for an immediate truce to the civil war across Syria. “And it’s up to us to try to find a way to do that”.

“Instead of accusation and shifting the blame [on others], the Saudi foreign minister should assume his country’s responsibility in the Mina disaster”, the Iranian official said.

“Iran now seeks to establish friendly ties along with mutual respect with regional countries, including Saudi Arabia”, said Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian during a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam in Beirut recently.

Following the worldwide talks on the future of Syria in Vienna on Friday, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the talks should entail a decision on a date and means for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from the power, as well as the withdrawal of foreign forces, “especially Iran”, from Syria.

Iran said on Monday it would pull out of Syria peace talks if it found them unconstructive, citing the “negative role” of its main regional adversary Saudi Arabia, according to state Iranian media.

Amir-Abdollahian also voiced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with regional countries to ensure Lebanon’s security, adding that undermining the security of the Arab country just benefits the Israeli regime.

Russia’s Lavrov similarly said it was up to the Syrian people if Assad gets voted out.

“I did not say that Assad has to go or that Assad has to stay”, Lavrov told journalists at the news conference with Kerry and de Mistura.

Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia, the Gulf region’s powerhouses, have long had an uneasy relationship and are backing opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen. “In the meeting of seven hours, no one left the room, no one disagreed fundamentally on major issues”. He said United States troops won’t be fighting in Syria the way they did in the Iraq War with “battalions and occupations”.

“The Syrian people need to hear that”, de Mistura said.