Saudi Arabia cements support against Iran at Arab League summit

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister al-Jubeir gestures during a news conference after an extraordinary meeting of the GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh.

“We are looking at additional measures to be taken if it (Iran) continues with its current policies”, Jubeir said.

The council stressed that GCC countries support the decisions and measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to find perpetrators of terrorist acts and instigators of sedition and bring them to justice.

The Gulf ministers who met Saturday in Riyadh, though, together insisted that Iran is in the wrong – not just because of the embassy attacks specifically, but due to its actions and comments criticizing the Saudi executions.

Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also at the emergency Arab League session, accused the Islamic Republic of intentionally failing to protect Saudi diplomatic posts.

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.

Saudi Arabia and Iran back opposing sides in the conflict, with Riyadh supporting rebel groups and Tehran behind President Bashar al-Assad.

Oman called the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran “unacceptable”, but stopped short of downgrading ties with Iran.

“The Saudis simply wanted a statement of solidarity and they got it. They did not really ask for more or expect more”, he said.

Iran’s signing of a deal with world powers over its nuclear programme previous year sparked deep concern in Saudi Arabia, a key USA ally, that its longtime rival was emerging from worldwide isolation.

Riyadh severed diplomatic ties and air links with Tehran after crowds set fire to its embassy in the Iranian capital and its consulate in second city Mashhad last weekend.

“We will not allow the Saudi tension-creating approaches to have a negative impact on the settlement of the crisis in Syria or to aggravate the problems of people in Syria, Yemen and Europe, which have risen due to the migration of poor Syrians”, Zarif said Sunday in a meeting with the United Nations’ Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in Tehran.