Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of 'sowing division'

Published May 31, 2019
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz attends the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 30, 2019. — Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz attends the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 30, 2019. — Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters

Tehran accused Riyadh on Friday of "sowing division" in the region to Israel's advantage, after the kingdom hosted summits of Gulf and Arab leaders to rally support against the Islamic republic.

Saudi Arabia has "continued to sow division between Islamic countries and in the region, which is the wish of the Zionist regime", Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi said.

"We see the attempts by Saudi Arabia to rally neighbouring and Arab countries against Iran as the continuation of futile attempts by America and the Zionist regime," he added.

Mousavi expressed disappointment that Riyadh intended to level the same "baseless allegations" against Tehran at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Makkah early on Saturday, "exploiting" its role as host.

Read: Saudi calls on Muslim world to reject Iran 'interference'

Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Friday ratcheted up the rhetoric against arch-rival Iran, calling on Arab states to confront its "criminal" actions after attacks on oil installations sparked fears of a regional conflagration.

The king's remarks came at the start of two back-to-back emergency summits in Makkah in the early hours, which drew near-unanimous support for the Sunni kingdom from Gulf and Arab states — with the notable exception of Iraq.

The summits came after hawkish US National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Wednesday that Iran was "almost certainly" behind May 12 attacks on four ships, two of them Saudi oil tankers, off the United Arab Emirates.

Tehran dismissed the accusation as "laughable" and accused Bolton of pursuing "evil desires for chaos in the region".

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...