OIC condemns Iran for attacks on Saudi missions

Ansari, quoted by state news agency IRNA, said the OIC had “in effect put itself at the service of the objectives of a single country” by raising the issue although it was not on the agenda of the Jeddah meeting.

The statement denounced “Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of the states of the region and other member states including Bahrain, Yemen and Syria and Somalia and its continued support for terrorism”.

There has been no justice for the Saudi Arabians’ murder of leading Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2, or for the huge drama they are now trying to carry out across the Middle East. The United States has, of course, recently made clear that it did not condone more senseless violence, yet the Saudis went ahead anyway.

The world’s largest body of Islamic nations strongly denounced Iran on Thursday, fully siding with Saudi Arabia over its diplomatic fallout with its regional Shiite rival.

China and Saudi Arabia have chose to establish a high-level committee to guide and coordinate bilateral cooperation, the two countries’ foreign ministers announced here Wednesday.

Several countries, including Pakistan, Russia and China, have voiced readiness to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia to ease up their tensions.

The Saudi Foreign Minister said these attacks showcase Iran’s aggressive policies and its constant incitement of sectarianism in the region. All were convicted of “terrorism”.

A growing diplomatic dispute between Riyadh and Tehran, triggered by mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shi’ite cleric, has damaged the outlook for any resolution to the conflict in Yemen. Abbas Araghchi, deputy foreign minister of legal and global affairs, left Tehran on January 19 to attend an emergency meeting in Jeddah of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

“All of them are Iranian-American families”, he said referring, as well, to most of the prisoners released by the US “I’m happy for the families of other Iranian-Americans, who still live in the United States, but (are) now back to their loved ones”. Sharif then informed reporters that Iran was interested in improving relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and would designate a focal person for future talks.

He also said that young religious groups, often called “Hezbollahis” in Iran, should not be blamed for the attack.

“The Prime Minister, upon his return should take the Parliament into confidence about his important visit to Saudi Arabia and Iran…the Prime Minister and his government must listen to the Parliament, as it is an evolving issue and we just can not simply ignore it”, Qureshi demanded.

“Our friends wanted to trap us and we’ve badly trapped and now we’ve to move forward very carefully”, Achakzai said, adding that Chinese role to defuse the tension between the two Muslim countries was a good omen, as the Chinese president is visiting both the countries. Iran has also consolidated its influence in Iraq and Lebanon.