Arab League Condemns Attack on Saudi Diplomatic Sites in Iran

Arab foreign ministers issued a statement condemning the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites in Iran and warned Tehran that it should expect stronger reactions if it continues its "interference" in the internal affairs of Arab countries. This statement was released on Sunday, January 20, following an extraordinary Arab League meeting in Cairo, which all member states, except Lebanon, voted in favor of. Following this meeting, Reuters reported remarks from Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Foreign Minister, emphasizing that Iran must decide what kind of neighbor it wants to be for Arab countries, "a good neighbor" or "a neighbor that creates chaos." He then stated that Iran has so far been a chaotic neighbor for Arab countries. Tensions between Iran and Arab countries escalated following the execution of Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, but the situation intensified with an assault on Saudi diplomatic sites in Tehran and Mashhad, leading Riyadh to sever its relations with Tehran, a move supported by other Arab countries. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, also mentioned on Sunday that cutting economic and diplomatic ties with Iran is just the first step, and Riyadh intends to consult with its regional and international allies about further actions against Tehran. He added that if Iran continues to support "terrorism, sectarianism, and violence," it will face reactions from Arab countries. Iran has conflicts with Saudi Arabia regarding the events in Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen. The Bahraini government, allied with Riyadh, has also severed its relations with Tehran. In the Yemeni civil war, Iran has sided with the Houthis, while Saudi Arabia is conducting airstrikes to prevent them from taking control of Yemen. In the Syrian civil war, Tehran is considered an ally of Damascus, while Riyadh seeks the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power.