Hassan Rouhani Accuses Saudi Arabia of 'Promoting a Culture of Hate' and 'Supporting Terrorism'

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, sharply criticized Saudi Arabia's policies in the region during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Riyadh of 'promoting a culture of hate' and 'supporting extremist terrorist groups.' This was Mr. Rouhani's last speech at the UN General Assembly as the head of the eleventh government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, delivered on Thursday morning, October 1, New York time, where he addressed the deep violence engulfing the Middle East and North Africa. Although the Iranian president attributed the wave of violence and the emergence of 'borderless and violent terrorism' to the 'security strategies of major powers over the past 15 years,' he directed the solution towards the policies of the regional countries themselves and urged Saudi Arabia to change its strategy. He stated, 'If the Saudi government is looking to achieve a new vision for its development and regional security, it must stop its divisive policies, promoting a culture of hate, and infringing on the rights of its neighbors, accept its responsibility towards the lives and dignity of pilgrims, and adjust its relations based on mutual respect and responsibility towards the peoples of the region.' Tehran and Riyadh have severed their relations since last December following the execution of a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia and the subsequent attack on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. The two countries also have opposing positions in the Syrian and Yemeni crises, which has led to harsh rhetoric between officials of both nations. Iran also accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorist groups, including ISIS. In his speech on Thursday, Rouhani said, 'If there is a will to stop the ongoing dangerous trend and place the region on the path of development and peace, some countries in the region must cease bombing their neighbors and supporting extremist terrorist groups and, by accepting their responsibilities, seek to compensate for the damages.' Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen and has conducted numerous airstrikes in Yemen in recent months. Another part of the Iranian president's speech at the UN General Assembly focused on the nuclear agreement between Tehran and global powers, which Rouhani described as 'a successful example of moderation, constructive engagement, and dialogue.' He stated, 'The United States knows well that the JCPOA is now an accepted multilateral document, and neglecting its implementation by the U.S. will be considered an international violation and will provoke the objection of the global community. Any breach of the JCPOA will lead to further discrediting of the United States on the world stage.' These remarks come as Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in the U.S. presidential election, has promised to cancel the nuclear agreement if he wins. Rouhani has previously criticized such an approach, warning that 'no one can say here and there that I do not accept this agreement.' The Iranian president further accused the U.S. of 'delaying' the implementation of the JCPOA, stating, 'The U.S. delay in fulfilling its legal obligations in recent months is a strategic mistake that must be corrected immediately. Unfortunately, such illegal actions have a precedent, and the latest example is the Supreme Court ruling in favor of seizing billions of dollars of Iranian assets in past years.' He noted, 'This experience has shown the world that Zionist pressure groups can compel even the highest legal and judicial body in the U.S. to violate the most basic principles of customary and treaty international law through indefensible congressional resolutions.' The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in May that two billion dollars of frozen Iranian assets in the country should be paid to the families of American victims of several terrorist operations attributed to Iran, including the 1983 bombings at the U.S. Marine Corps and French soldiers' headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. Iran has strongly protested this ruling.