Saudi Arabia creating tension to affect Syrian crisis: Iran FM

The chairman of the committee, Awais Leghari, told reporters after the briefing that the committee lauded Pakistan’s balanced stance on the Saudi-Iran conflict.

“Unfortunately, the Saudi rulers have turned into a laborer at the service of the Zionists and Americans”, he added.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday accused Saudi Arabia of using its row with Tehran to “negatively affect” peace talks on the Syrian conflict.

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.

Zarif said the execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimr had shown that Saudi Arabia’s “barbarism is clear” and said Riyadh was promoting the kind of extremist views taken up by groups like the Islamic State organisation.

The Cabinet reviewed the Arab League Council’s reconfirmation of its condemnation of the Iranian government for interfering in the internal affairs of Arab countries, considering it as a violation of the rules of the worldwide law and the principle of good neighbourliness, and a serious threat to regional and global security and peace. Rajesh Kumar, station officer, Bhawanpur police station, said, “I will forward the memorandum to the district magistrate as it is addressed to him and he will further send it to the PM”.

The Saudi prince, whose visit came close on the heels of one by Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir, was reportedly here to find out how Pakistan could militarily assist his country.

The Saudi military coalition fighting in Yemen said it will look into the accusations but assured that no strikes took place near the Iranian embassy.

They are expected to meet again on January 25 in the UAE, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi said at the news conference.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran after protesters set fires at the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

“Iran, confident of its strength, has refused to retaliate or break – or even downgrade – diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia”, Zarif wrote. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, pulled diplomatic missions from Tehran.

He said they would “wipe Iran off the map”.

The crisis also threatens a fragile UN-backed initiative to end the war in Yemen, where Houthi rebels have control of large parts of the country.

In a speech to local officials, Erdogan said, “Only three [of those executed] were Shia”.