Manama: Several Kuwaiti lawmakers on Sunday blasted Iran and called for an urgent special session to discuss the latest "provocative" statements emanating from Iran, with some warning of a serious Iranian plot against Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf states.
National Assembly Speaker Jasem Al Khorafi said he was "surprised" by the statements which "did not serve bilateral relations between Tehran and Kuwait".
The reactions by Kuwaiti MPs followed Iranian armed forces chief of staff General Hassan Firouzabadi's assertion on Saturday that the Arabian Gulf "belonged to Iran forever", Kuwait Times reported.
Firouzabadi also described Arab leaders in the Gulf as dictators and called on them to relinquish power and let their people determine their own future.
"I was surprised by the statement of the Iranian chief of staff and believe it is not in line with the wish to improve relations between countries in the region," Al Khorafi said.
"Brothers in Iran should take into account good neighbourly and bilateral relations and stay away from negative statements which will stir only negative reactions," he said.
Political damage
The Speaker also expressed surprise that military leaders in Tehran were being allowed to issue statements that could negatively impact political ties with neighbours and called on "friends" in Tehran to introduce restrictions on such statements, the daily said.
Lawmaker and head of the Arab Parliament, Ali Al Deqbasi, said that Iranian statements against Arab Gulf states "will not result in creating a suitable atmosphere for a serious Arab-Iranian dialogue".
Al Deqbasi called on the Arab League, Arab parliaments and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to stand up to Iran in view of "provocative statements that have increased recently".
Other Kuwaiti MPs demanded action on the ground. Islamist lawmaker Jamaan Al Harbash said Iran was carrying out "a serious plot against the Arab Gulf states and called on the government to be alert".
Islamist MP Falah Al Sawwagh called for an urgent special session after the new government was formed.
MP Hussain Al Qallaf called on "wise men" in the Islamic Republic of Iran not to allow officials to issue provocative statements in order to preserve "what is left of bilateral relations".
