Iran is to blame for escalation: Saudi minister

Manama: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir has said the current escalation between Iran and Saudi Arabia can only be blamed on Iran.

“The violations and antagonistic moves came from one parties, not the two parties,” he said following a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukri in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

“Saudi Arabia, for the last 35 years, has not engaged in anything antagonistic towards Iran; however, Iran for the last 35 years and since the Iranian revolution has been negative and antagonistic towards the kingdom, and interfering in the domestic affairs of the region. Iran has been supporting terrorism and mobilising Gulf nationals to act against their societies. Iran has been smuggling weapons and explosives into the Gulf countries to undermine security. Such acts are not acceptable. Iran fuels terrorism, violence and extremism and harbours people accused of terrorism and provides them with Iranian passports. Iran does not respect international laws or conventions, particularly those related to protecting diplomatic missions,” he said.

“If Iran wants to have a positive and natural role in the region, it must put an end to all these antagonistic acts and act with the countries in the region like any country keen on good neighbourliness. The matter is with Iran. Saudi Arabia and the countries in the region would look forward to Iran improving its behavior,” he said.

On Monday, Russian news agency TASS said that Russia was ready to invite the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers to Moscow for negotiations, quoting a diplomatic source it did not name.

Al Jubeir said he has yet to receive any details from the Russians on their offer.