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IRAN FRONT PAGELatest News and Views From Iran, Middle East and the World

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Home Blog Page 4684

Iranians express solidarity with France over Paris attacks

November 15, 2015

The Iranians have expressed solidarity with the French people following the deadly terror attacks in Paris carried out by the IS militant group.

The Iranians on Saturday paid tribute to those killed or injured in the attacks and extended their condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the attacks by gathering in front of the French embassy in Tehran.

They laid down flowers and placards which read: “We stand by you” and “We are united” in Farsi, in French and English in front of the building.

The IS terror group claimed responsibility for assaults, which were carried out by gunmen and suicide bombers in several venues, including a concert hall, restaurants and the national stadium in Paris.

French President Francois Hollande denounced the assault, which killed nearly 130 people, as an “act of war.”

President Rouhani sent a message to his French counterpart, condemning the attacks.

“In the name of the Iranian nation, itself a victim of the evil scourge of terrorism, I strongly condemn these inhumane crimes and condole with the bereaved French nation and government,” President Rouhani said in his message.

Other countries, including the United States, Russia, Britain, Germany, Spain, India, Australia, and Turkey, as well as the European Union (EU) have voiced their condemnation of the attacks.

According to the latest details provided by Francois Molins, the Paris prosecutor, 129 people were killed in the Paris terror attacks while 352 others suffered injuries. He added that at least 99 people are still in critical condition and that seven terrorists had died.

The French capital was targeted in another series of terrorist attacks as recently as January 7, when gunmen attacked the Paris offices of French magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people and wounding 11 others.

The incident was followed by a series of sieges and shootings across Paris, resulting in the killing of more people and an extensive sense of insecurity in the country.

Iran’s president, Italian PM urge joint efforts against terrorism

Golrokh Askarieh

November 15, 2015

President Rouhani made a phone call to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to discuss a range of issues, including the postponement of his planned trip to Italy and Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

In the telephone conversation on Saturday, Rouhani pointed to the coordination between the Iranian and Italian foreign ministers over his state visit to Rome, expressing hope that the trip will be made in “a more appropriate time” in the future.

He further pointed to the terrorist attacks in Paris and called for concerted efforts to fight terrorism in the world.

Renzi, for his part, emphasized that Italy is looking forward to the Iranian president’s trip, expressing hope that the visit would be made as soon as possible. He also stressed the need for a joint fight against terrorism.

Rouhani postponed his scheduled official visits to France and Italy a day after a string of terrorist attacks swept through the French capital.

[…]

The insane genius

Emad Askarieh

November 15, 2015

It took forensic experts nine months to establish that Siamak, an astronomy genius, has killed his mother by reason of insanity. As a result, the killer who was taking drugs for mental illness was able to win the forgiveness of his sisters.

In early November Entekhab.ir released a report on the killing of an old woman at the hands of his genius son. The following is the translation of part of that report:

The murder

January 19, 2015: It was 8:00 p.m. A young man calls a police station in Shahr-e Ziba, a neighborhood in northwest Tehran, to report that the man who lived in the apartment next door was not in a normal condition and had been fighting his mother. The young caller urged officers to go to the scene, arguing that a bad incident was waiting to happen.

I killed my mom

Following the phone call, officers showed up at the address they had been given. […] Officers knocked on the door of the apartment, but nobody answered. They found no suspicious thing. As they were about to leave, the young man [the young caller] who was very much concerned phoned the Emergency Medical Service and the Fire Department [Organization of Tehran Municipality’s Fire and Safety Services].

Firefighters rushed to the scene and knocked on the same door. A man, who was calmly drinking fruit juice, opened the door and told the firefighters, “I have killed my mom and her body is inside.”

Hearing this, officers cautiously entered the apartment. A deafening silence prevailed; the smell of smoke was in the air. The officers conducted a search and found a horrible [crime] scene. A 70-year-old woman had been killed. Further investigation by Judge Hosseinpour revealed that the man had killed his mother, calmly eaten dinner, reviewed the crime scenario and incessantly pulled on his cigarette before deciding to surrender himself when the police showed up at his doorstep.

Murder after returning from Ukraine

The neighbor who had called in the crime told officers, “Siamak and I were classmates in high school. Later we became neighbors in this building. Sometimes Siamak’s behavior was far from normal.

“That night he had just returned home from Ukraine. His mom called me and asked for help. She said that Siamak was behaving abnormally and asked me to go to her place and calm him down. I went there to see what was going on. When I got there, Siamak was not in a normal condition. He was talking about strange things, saying that his mom had hatched a plot to kill him and that while on the airliners he learned that his mom had sent two fighter jets to blow up his plane.

“His words were strange and frightening. They sent chills down my spine. When I was leaving their apartment, his mom was begging me, but he angrily told me to go away and leave them alone. That’s why I called the police. Because of Siamak’s abnormal behavior, I knew something bad was up and my worst fears realized.”

Confession by the genius

The investigation that followed showed that Siamak, a 50-year-old physics and math genius, killed his mom on a strange motive. An educated man, Siamak married an American woman, but they got separated a few years later. That was why he was living with his mom. He was a genius in math, astronomy and computer and his room was full of Russian and English books to the brim.

[…] After being taken to custody, Siamak said during the interrogation, “My mom was devilish. It was just a few hours ago that she scrambled two fighter jets to explode the plane I had boarded to come back to Iran from Ukraine.

“Tonight I got involved in physical confrontation with her. The more I beat her, the stronger she grew. So I put my hand on her mouth and eventually she stopped breathing.”

Siamak later reconstructed the crime scene. He was acting strangely and showed abnormal behavior. […] Nothing other than anti-depression medication was retrieved at the crime scene to suggest that he had hallucinations due to illicit drugs.

The killer’s insanity was confirmed

After Siamak’s hallucinated confessions, the judge in the murder case referred him to the medical commission at the Legal Medicine Organization for mental evaluations.

At this time the killer’s two sisters who were living in Germany and the US came to Iran and forgave their brother. They told the inspector, “Our brother was not in a normal condition and was on medication. Whenever he didn’t take these drugs, he would feel bad. That’s why we are sure he was not in a normal state of mind when he killed our mom.”

Nine months after the crime in early November, the medical commission did confirm the insanity plea of the defendant and declared him insane. Afterwards, Siamak was admitted to a mental hospital. He will be kept there under medical care until his sanity is established.

Iranians show solidarity with French (PHOTOS)

Golrokh Askarieh

November 15, 2015

A group of Iranians gathered outside the French embassy in Tehran Saturday and lit candles to show solidarity with the families of those killed in Paris terror attacks a day earlier.

The crowd carried placards which read “We Are United” in Farsi, English and French and laid flowers at the entrance to the embassy in honor of the victims.

The following are images of the candle-lit vigil the Iranian Students’ News Agency has published:

Larijani condoles with France, Lebanon on deaths caused by terror attacks

Golrokh Askarieh

November 15, 2015

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani expressed condolences to the French and Lebanese parliaments over the deaths caused by terror attacks in the countries.

The top MP also sent separate messages of condolences to his French and Lebanese counterparts as well as to the secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah.

Larijani called for a collective international campaign in the fight against terrorism.

In a message to French National Assembly President Claude Bartolone, Larijani deplored the terrorist attacks as crimes against humanity.

He denounced the inaction of the international community in the face of the menace of terrorism and said that unfortunately, the world has seen such inhuman crimes for several years.

The massacre of defenseless people, insecurity and unrest requires the world community to adopt a decision to fight the ominous phenomenon, he said.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always voiced outrage and condemned terrorist attacks in any form and in any region,” he said and stressed the need for countries and nations to take collective measures to confront terrorist acts.

He extended condolences to the French nation, parliament and government and expressed hope that the international community will fight terrorism to bring about stability and security to all nations.

He also condemned the terrorist attack in southern Beirut, which led to the martyrdom and injury of a group of innocent people.

Larijani sympathized with the families who lost their loved ones in the terrorist attacks.

“Such hateful crimes show once again the need for unity and collective steps to fight extremism and terrorism.

“The blood of the dear martyrs will lead to stronger resolve of the brave people of Lebanon and Muslim nations to continue the campaign until the elimination of terrorism.”

[…]

Iran’s FM on diplomacy, domestic politics and future (PART ONE)

Emad Askarieh

November 14, 2015

Iran’s foreign minister says any measure he takes comes with a price for him. The head of Iran’s diplomacy machine weighs in on what the opponents of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have done to counter his efforts at home, and says that the Worriers [opponents of the president’s policy of moderation and interaction] have one main objective: “to attack the diplomatic team of the Rouhani administration”.

For the Worriers simply “attacking” is important; and the content of JCPOA, the stroll with the US secretary of state in a Geneva street, or the unplanned handshake with US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly are merely what they need to use as a pretext to target the most powerful part of the eleventh government: the Foreign Ministry and the diplomat at its helm.

Mohammad Javad Zarif has had different firsts during his two years in office, among them the appointment of the first spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry and appointment of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s first female ambassador. Zarif has appeared in parliament to defend his performance more than all of his predecessors in post-Revolution Iran. He has held more than 50 meetings with his US counterpart.

Conducting an interview with Zarif is ironically an easy, tough task. It is easy since there are multiple questions – thanks to a barrage of criticism unleashed by his opponents – to ask him about, and it is tough since his response to a seemingly simple question may play into the hands of his opponents to launch a torrent of fresh attacks against the foreign minister.

Sharq daily’s Maryam Yousefi was given face time with the foreign minister on the day he was expected to induct the new spokesman of his ministry. Her questions covered a wide range of issues including the Worriers, their threats and JCPOA and Zarif answered all of them despite his busy schedule. The following is PART ONE of the full translation of what Zarif said in the interview:

Following the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), three groups opposed the nuclear deal: One group at home, another in Israel, and the third were leaders of some Persian Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia. The reason behind the opposition from hardline Israelis and the Likud Party is completely clear. Riyadh has also had a foreign policy shift after the passing of King Abdullah and the rise to power of King Salman. But, what objective do the opponents of JCPOA at home pursue and who are they opposed to?

You cannot be privy to people’s intentions, but the fact is that because of long-running disagreements between Iran and the West, a sizable number of Iranian officials, elites and the Iranian nation are suspicious of Western intentions.

For the very reason, it’s natural for concerns to grow when a deal is struck, particularly over an issue which has been the bone of contention for quite a while.

The Americans and Westerners have done a great deal of injustice to the Iranian people and when a deal as such is cut, it’s very natural of the people who are suspicious of US objectives to take the agreement with a pinch of salt. I think such opposition has its roots in this fact.

Those who were not part of the negotiations knew little about the atmosphere and details of the talks and were thus concerned about the outcome of the process.

I think once we enter the implementation phase of JCPOA in earnest – and with God’s grace, we allow the international atmosphere to take a turn for the better – the Iranian mistrust of the Americans won’t interfere with the proper implementation of the deal.

We can create the conditions in a way that even if the Americans sought to throw obstacles in the way of the deal’s implementation, the international atmosphere wouldn’t allow them to do so.

For instance, in the 1990s, when the Americans were at the height of their power, they tried to slap sanctions against Iran, but nobody in the world listened to them.

At present, we have no trust in US behavior, but the difference between my friends present at the talks and I on the one hand and opponents of the deal on the other is that we believe we can create conditions which won’t allow hardline Americans to violate their obligations.

Are you saying the grave concern of the opponents of JCPOA in Iran is establishment of relations with the US?

They might be concerned about it, too, but their major concern is that the Americans may renege on their obligations and fail to implement JCPOA; that’s their real source of concern.

Worries that JCPOA may turn into an excuse for establishment of ties with America might seem real to some, but the fact of the matter is that Iran’s foreign policy is defined based on the opinion of high-ranking officials and nobody needs to be worried that for an issue of such great importance, measures which are against the wishes of officials might be taken.

I assure the opponents that the Foreign Ministry and the country’s diplomacy apparatus do not seek to go down that path.

At a time when the implementation of JCPOA is nearing, the Middle East has turned more insecure. Yet, Iran plays a more courageous role in Middle East developments and a new regional balance has emerged. How was the new balance struck?

There is not just one reason behind the emergence of an international phenomenon, rather several contributing factors must be taken into account. Iran has always been a powerful country. Its might has external dimensions, including vast geography, abundant natural resources and valuable human resources.

On top of that, Iran’s power has internal, spiritual dimensions such as the message of the Revolution, public resistance in the face of pressure and their support for the establishment.

In addition to these two, the country has external, spiritual powers, too. Iran’s support for [Lebanon’s] Resistance [Movement] and avoidance of aligning with regional dictators over the past 35 years are some of the factors in the latter group.

What is your take on the role of JCPOA in increasing Iran’s power at this juncture?

The things I just mentioned are dimensions of Iran’s authority that have always existed, but there have been some obstacles in the way of Iran wielding power and asserting influence. One such barrier is a plot by Israel, some regional countries and hardline Americans to cast Iran as a security threat. JCPOA has foiled their plot.

In other words, it cannot be said that JCPOA is the main reason behind Iran’s power in the region. The talks that were held after the Government of Prudence and Hope took office gave more power to Iran, but it does not mean that these sources of power were non-existent in the past.

Iran had genuine sources of power, both physical and non-physical, but JCPOA has helped the country clear the hurdles that wouldn’t allow its power to turn into influence.

PART TWO

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on Nov. 14

Golrokh Askarieh

November 14, 2015

Comments by sources of emulation on the performance of the Foreign Ministry and praise for its achievements in meetings with FM Zarif dominated the front pages of Iranian newspapers on Saturday. Also in the spotlight were remarks by President Rouhani on sanctions and ties with the US as well as terrorist bombings in Beirut.

Ettela’at: “I will enforce the Civil Rights Charter,” said President Rouhani in interviews with France 2 TV channel and Europe 1 radio network, adding that all citizens should enjoy equal rights.

The president also called on investors all over the world to get more active [in Iran] following “the good conditions” that have been created in the country.

Highlights of Ettela’at newspaper on Nov. 14

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on Nov. 14

Abrar: Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Omani top diplomat Yusuf bin Alawi have held consultations in Muscat.

Abrar: “I have no trust in news agencies affiliated to Hezbollahi groups [fervent supporters of the Islamic Revolution],” said Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi, a [principlist] scholar and theorist.

[Azghadi, who is a member of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council, made the remark on Friday, adding that these news agencies lack knowledge].

Afkar: A flurry of international condemnations following terrorist attacks in Beirut

Afkar: The 21^st edition of the Press and News Agencies Exhibition came to an end [on November 13].

Aftab-e Yazd: Qom praises Zarif

Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi: Zarif made the impossible possible.

Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani: People understand the value of your work.

Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli: Handshake with the enemy is a sign of courtesy and decency.

Amin: In a telephone call, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri has invited his Iranian counterpart Ali Larijani to take part in the 11th Conference of Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) in Baghdad.

Arman-e Emrooz: Meaningful welcome for the Commander of the Diplomacy Front

Unprecedented praise by sources of emulation for Zarif

Grand Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani told FM Zarif: Those who are reflective will realize the value of your work.

Arman-e Emrooz: The justice minister has said that government will pursue the case of the recently arrested reporters.

Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi further said that the arrest of those involved in media and civil activists run counter to the government’s approach of moderation.

Asrar: “I will sound a warning if the Constitution is harmed,” said President Rouhani.

Asrar: The approach of IRIB [the national broadcaster] is factional and arises from political confusion, said a statement released by the office of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Asrar: President Vladimir Putin to visit Tehran [in late November].

Ebtekar: The key to reopen the US embassy [in Tehran] is in the hands of the Americans, said President Rouhani in interviews with European media in the build-up to his [now delayed] trip to France and Italy.

Emtiaz: “Kissing the Koran was the dreamiest moment of my lifetime,” said Andranik Teymourian, the Christian captain of the Iranian national soccer team.

Etemad: “I am not happy with the arrest of journalists,” said Gholamali Haddad Adel, a former parliament speaker, in the closing ceremony of the 21^st Press and News Agencies Exhibition.

Hambastegi: The health minister has taken a swipe at the ever-growing sales of cars.

Hosban: [Iran’s] Compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is tied to the compliance of the other side, said President Rouhani.

Iran: “We should not be afraid of foreign tourists,” said the director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.

Masoud Soltanifar further said that we want to turn Iran into the hub of halal, religious, cultural and historical tourism in the world.

Jomhouri Islami: Sinjarin northwestern Iraq has been taken back from ISIS terrorists.

Jomhouri Islami: A Saudi prince has asked for the normalization of ties between Arab nations and the Zionist regime.

Jomhouri Islami: Some are seeking to create division between the government and sources of emulation, said the minister of culture and Islamic guidance.

Kar va Kargar: Implementation of the Free Access to Information Act is a serious task the press should focus on, said Deputy Culture Minister Hossein Entezami in the closing of the press exhibition in Tehran.

Kayhan: The Takfiris took their revenge for the setbacks they have suffered in Iraq and Syria on the Lebanese people.

Nasl-e Farda: “More than anything else, we need national solidarity,” said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in his meetings with sources of emulation in Qom.

Resalat: The spokesman of the Guardian Council has said that laws governing the assessment of the scientific credentials of the Assembly of Experts candidates have not changed.

Resalat: Infiltration is more dangerous than war, said Tehran’s Friday prayer leader.

Rooyesh Mellat: All economic sanctions [against Iran] will be lifted by the end of 2015, said President Rouhani.

Roozan: A new plan by the US Congress: A Christian safe zone in Iraq

Setareh Sobh: Seyyed Hassan Khomeini [the grandson of the late Imam] is an innovative thinker who is suitable for the [Assembly of] Experts, said Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari, [a reformist cleric].

Shahrvand: Shahrvand’s has been named the top stall at the 21^st Press and News Agencies Exhibition.

Shahrvand: Traces of local officials in the case of bird hunting in Fereydoonkenar, a resort town on the Caspian Sea

Sharq: “Our judgment is not immune to mistakes,” said the spokesman of the Guardian Council in an interview with the daily.

Sharq: “I am happy to make a film in Iran,” said Asghar Farhadi, the Oscar-winning Iranian filmmaker, in an interview.

Shorou: Good things are likely to happen if the US apologizes to Iran, said President Rouhani in an interview with an Italian daily.

Highlights of Ettela’at newspaper on Nov. 14

Golrokh Askarieh

November 14, 2015

♦ “I will enforce the Civil Rights Charter,” said President Rouhani in interviews with France 2 TV channel and Europe 1 radio network, adding that all citizens should enjoy equal rights.

The president also called on investors all over the world to get more active [in Iran] following “the good conditions” that have been created in the country.

♦ A $ 40b agreement between Iran and Russia on nuclear energy and plane purchase

The Russian energy minister has said that his country has many plans for Iran including: selling aircraft and helicopters to Iran, partnership with Iran in making passenger and rail cars, renovation of Iran’s railroads, and construction of units in the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.

♦ TheIraqi city of Sinjar was retaken in a big operation by Peshmerga forces.

Fighter jets of the [US-led] coalition bombarded a big convoy of ISIS terrorists fleeing Sinjar.

♦ A terrorist attack by ISIS in Dahiyeh, Beirut has martyred 43 people and injured another 239.

ISIS has assumed responsibility for the attack, releasing the names of its three suicide bombers.

♦ Sources of emulation praise Dr. Zarif’s diplomatic efforts

Ayatollah Abdul-Karim Mousavi Ardebili: Everything bears fruit in a calm and tension-free atmosphere.

Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi: The foreign minister’s efforts will go down in history.

In another development, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance met with the sources of emulation in Qom.

♦ Media are a freedom indicator in society, said Dr. Haddad Adel in the closing of the press exhibition.

♦ Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano has said that Tehran has honored all its commitments under the roadmap [of cooperation Iran and the IAEA signed in July].

What are the reasons behind Saudi Arabia’s hostility to Iran? (PART TWO)

Golrokh Askarieh

November 14, 2015

The hostility of Saudi Arabia toward the Islamic Republic of Iran came to a head with the Mina tragedy. Officials in the kingdom insist on maintaining their hostile attitude instead of walking down the path of realism and being accountable for their mismanagement of the deadly stampede.

Hostile ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia have a long history dating back to when the kingdom was formed. Saudi Arabia’s hostile approaches to Iranian pilgrims and dispute over three Iranian islands [in the Persian Gulf] are classic examples of such historical hostility. This hostile attitude, which has been escalated following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, has shown itself in different forms, from a proxy war to threats to wage war.

Fararu.com on November 10 released a report on the reasons behind the hostility Saudi Arabia nurses against Iran. The following is PART TWO of the partial translation of the report which references an article by the Islamic Revolution Document Center:

Support for Saddam Hossein during the imposed war and attempts to undermine Iran’s interests in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, etc. are among the measures Saudi Arabia takes to counter Iran. Nonetheless, what Saudi Arabia has done to consolidate its foothold in the region – to bring to power a government in Iraq with close ties with Al Saud family; to separate Syria from Iran; to stop Hezbollah in Lebanon from gaining power, to name only a few – has done little to help it achieve its stated objectives, even through open support for ISIS.

8- Financial and intelligence support for Saddam Hussein

Prior to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Saudi Arabia had not accumulated enormous wealth and used to treat Iran cautiously. Saddam’s invasion of Iran provided Riyadh with the opportunity to flex its muscle. It was all clear that Saddam could not handle his invasion of Iran – which ended in failure – without support from Saudi Arabia and fellow Arab nations.

In reaction, Iran was aware of and enraged by Saudi Arabia’s financial and arms support for Iraq during the imposed war in the 1980s. Iran’s advances in the war made Saudi Arabia and other sheikhdoms concerned about Iran’s growing power. As a result, Riyadh increased its substantial arms assistance to Iraq during its war against Iran. A case in point was an agreement between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to deposit – as of 1982 – their oil revenues from joint fields (300,000-350,000 barrels per day) to Iraq’s account.

On Saudi Arabia’s intelligence assistance to Saddam Hussein, Jeune Afrique [a French language weekly news magazine published in Paris] wrote on June 9, 1982 that one month before the outbreak of the [Iran-Iraq] war, Saudi rulers presented a kingly gift to Saddam: a report from US secret agencies on Iran’s economic, social and military conditions as well as intelligence on Iran’s army, its forces, […] and other confidential information.

9. Saudi Arabia’s anti-Iran policies in oil market

Saudi Arabia, which produces 10 million barrels per day, is the world’s largest oil exporter. It is the only country which can prevent oil prices from drastically increasing by raising its output. Saudi Arabia has time and again used its capability [to manipulate prices] as a weapon against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Developments unfolding after the so-called Arab Spring, especially what is happening in the countries surrounding the kingdom, confirm Saudi Arabia’s recent [oil] stances [against Iran] and its willingness to join the West to pile pressure on Iran more than ever.

Saudi Arabia has continued to use oil as a weapon against Iran […] to date. Such a stance has played a key role in the current low oil prices which have taken a heavy toll on the economies of regional countries, including Iran.

Following the drastic drops in oil prices in late 2014 and early 2015, Iran and fellow OPEC members – which experienced declining oil revenues due to plummeting prices – accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to drop oil prices and deal a blow to crude producers by its record outputs.

10. Saudi cooperation with US sanctions against Iran

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Saudi Arabia has shown open hostility toward Iran on different occasions. Riyadh has been one of the supporters of anti-Iran sanctions and has implemented US policies in the region. In parallel with unjust sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia has seized the existing opportunity – due to its internal shortcomings – to insist on the misappropriate US stance and beat the drum of hostility to Iran more than before.

11. The Shiite Crescent and fight against pro-Iran governments and groups

Iran’s influence in regional countries has been cause for concern in Saudi Arabia. Such an influence is given more prominence as far as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon go. The formation of a government in Iraq is a vital process for its powerful neighbors, including Iran and Saudi Arabia. A united, integrated and predominantly-Shiite Iraq poses a threat to radical Sunni governments in the region, among them Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the Shiites took over the government in Iraq and showed willingness to have more ties with Iran. Formation of a Shiite-majority government in Iraq is believed to threaten the interests of radical Sunni governments in the region and those of the US. It is in such a context that introduction of the Shiite Crescent issue becomes meaningful.

Saudi interferences in Lebanon are meant to undermine the influence of Hezbollah and shore up its rivals. In the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel war, Saudi Arabia sided with the Zionists, but Hezbollah emerged victorious in that war. A new regional coalition led by Iran against the Riyadh government turned into the main concern of Saudi Arabia.

According to a Saudi Foreign Ministry’s confidential document, Samir Geagea [a Lebanese politician] asked the Saudi ambassador to pay money for implementing a Saudi plan in Lebanon. Under the same document, the Saudi ambassador stressed the need for supplying Geagea with finances, citing his role as a deterrent against Hezbollah. […]

12. Saudi Arabia’s push to prod US to attack Iran (concurrent with nuclear crisis)

The fact that Saudi Arabia has asked the United States to attack Iran is yet another clear sign of the kingdom’s hostility toward Iran. According to documents leaked by WikiLeaks, in 2008 King Abdullah urged the US to attack Iran. According to the document obtained from one of US embassies, the Saudi king has told the US, “Cut off the head of the snake”[King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia repeatedly exhorted the United States to “cut off the head of the snake” by launching military strikes to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, according to leaked US diplomatic cables (Reuters – November 29, 2010)].

13. Intelligence Cooperation with Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear sites

Since the start, Saudi Arabia has been among bitter opponents of the settlement of Iran’s nuclear case [through talks] with P5+1. It is also concerned about measures which tip the regional balance in favor of Iran. Saudi opposition to the settlement of the nuclear case has been evident in its approaches and approval of the West’s political stance.

In addition to their political stances, the Saudis – according to the intelligence leaked by confidential documents – have been studying a joint plan with the Zionist regime to launch attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites. Above all, there is evidence that Mossad and the Saudi intelligence agencies have established extensive contacts on Iran’s nuclear program.

14. Mina tragedy and the Saudi unaccountability

On Thursday (September 24, 2015) a stampede broke out in [tent city of] Mina during the Hajj rituals which killed thousands of pilgrims, with a large number of people missing. Hundreds of Iranians were martyred in the deadly stampede with many still unaccounted for.

In reaction, the Saudi government has not accepted responsibility for the incident, and at some stages has even displayed clear signs of hostility and intentionality. Riyadh’s refusal to issue visas for an Iranian delegation which was to go to Saudi Arabia to follow up the case of the victims, lack of cooperation with Iran’s Hajj Office in the kingdom to identify the missing pilgrims and the bodies of the dead, and unaccountability in connection with [the fate of] the missing Iranian diplomat in the Mina tragedy are just a few examples of the historic hostility of the Saudi Arabia toward Iran.

It comes as the Saudi rulers have in recent days placed on their agenda military threats [against Iran] in reaction to Iran’s pressures (due to unaccountability of Saudi officials).

Iran attaches great importance to security in Muslim world: Zarif

Golrokh Askarieh

November 14, 2015

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday reaffirmed Tehran’s resolve to have close relations with all its neighbors and Muslim world countries.

Iran’s neighbors are top on the country’s foreign policy agenda, Zarif told reporters in the holy city of Qom.

“Apart from the trips I made for the nuclear negotiations, most of my trips have been to Islamic countries and regional states,” the minister noted.

“This is because the security of the Muslim world is of particular significance to our country,” Zarif explained.

He further said that Iran has mutual interests with Islamic countries, and that is why Tehran’s priority in its foreign policy is forging close ties with Muslim nations.

Zarif also referred to the meeting of Iranian ambassadors and envoys with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei earlier this month, during which the Leader elaborated on the continuous development of relations with neighbors as well as Muslim and African countries as requirements of the country’s foreign policy.

President Rouhani has on many occasions stressed that the first priority for Iran following the recent nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers is strengthening ties with the neighboring and Muslim countries.