Arab League Emphasizes Formation of a United Front to Counter 'Iranian Interventions'

The Arab League, in its final statement from the Cairo meeting, emphasized the need to form a united front to counter 'Iranian interventions' and urged member states to work towards convening an emergency Security Council meeting regarding Iran's regional threats. The emergency meeting of Arab League foreign ministers on Sunday, November 19, was held at the request of Saudi Arabia and with the support of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait, aimed at discussing ways to counter Iranian interventions, and it featured criticisms from member states' foreign ministers against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. In the final statement, member countries condemned 'Iran's hostile interventions' in Arab countries and expressed their full solidarity with Saudi Arabia. The Arab League foreign ministers also referred to the 'Iranian-made missile' launched by Yemen's Houthis towards Riyadh, stating they would support any actions Saudi Arabia might take to ensure its security against Tehran's policies. The statement warned Iran against continuing its interventions in the internal affairs of regional countries, demanding that the Islamic Republic cease its support for the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and adhere to the policy of good neighborliness by refraining from 'provoking terrorist groups in Bahrain.' The Arab League also called on Arab countries that are members of the United Nations to establish necessary contacts to hold an emergency UN meeting aimed at discussing Iran's regional threats and examining violations of UN sanctions through Iran's arming of Yemeni rebels. In this context, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, emphasized that Iran's threats have transcended all limits and have pushed the region towards a perilous abyss. The Secretary-General described the missile fired at Riyadh as 'Iranian-made' and characterized it as 'a clear message of Iran's hostility.' The final statement of the Arab League was described by the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs as 'a clear message' regarding the joint action of Arab countries against Iran. The statement also accused Hezbollah of 'supporting terrorism and extremist groups in Arab countries with advanced weapons and ballistic missiles.' However, as Ahmed Aboul Gheit noted, the Lebanese delegation at this meeting objected to parts of the statement related to Hezbollah, describing the group as a fundamental component of Lebanon that has representatives in the parliament and government of the country. The Lebanese Foreign Minister had refrained from attending the Arab League meeting in Cairo on Sunday. Earlier, news agencies reported the Saudi Foreign Minister's remarks at the Cairo meeting, where he called on Arab countries to take a 'sincere and serious' stance against Iran. Adel al-Jubeir stated that leniency towards Tehran would only lead Iran to continue its aggressive behavior and interference in Arab countries' affairs. He said the Arab League needs to make decisions regarding 'non-compromising' behavior in dealing with Iran. Iran and Saudi Arabia are critical of each other's actions in Syria and Yemen, accusing each other of destabilizing the region. The difference is that in Yemen, Iran supports the rebels opposing the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, while Saudi Arabia supports the legitimate Yemeni government, but in Syria, Iran stands with the government of Bashar al-Assad, and Saudi Arabia supports some of the opposition groups against Assad. The tone of officials from both countries towards each other has intensified, especially since the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad, although recently the foreign ministers of both countries emphasized that their countries' policy is not 'conflict in the region.'