Iran: Adel al-Jubeir Should Think More About the Consequences of His Words

Bahrām Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, reacted on Friday to the statements made by the Saudi Foreign Minister regarding the Islamic Republic's approach in the region, stating: "Adel al-Jubeir is going through tough days on the brink of the release of the confidential Congress report about the September 11 attacks." On Thursday, in an interview with Euronews, al-Jubeir criticized Iran's approach in the region, saying: "What we are witnessing is the continuation of Iran's hostile activities in support of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and efforts to send weapons to the Houthis in Yemen. I think to judge, we need to see if there is any change in Iran's behavior or not. But we are not witnessing anything special." He also added: "35 years of Iran's aggression against Saudi Arabia and its allies is enough." According to Fars News Agency, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson responded to the Saudi Foreign Minister's remarks, saying: "Adel al-Jubeir, who is currently busy trying to erase the traces of his country's leaders, officials, and official organizations' involvement in various terrorist operations over the past decades, believes that by projecting blame, he can divert global public opinion from his country's endless scandals as the father of Al-Qaeda and ISIS." Bahrām Qasemi further stated: "It is understandable that the Saudi Foreign Minister is going through tough days on the brink of the release of the September 11 report and is expecting even tougher days ahead. Undoubtedly, the dimensions and implications of such important information regarding the sources of a country that supports terrorism will not remain hidden from the global public opinion and the nations that have been victims of terrorism in the years following September 11, 2001." Last week, the U.S. Congress released parts of the confidential 28-page report on the September 11 attacks, which addressed the possible connection between Saudi Arabia and the perpetrators of the attack. After this report, Saudi Arabia announced that the 28-page report absolved it of involvement in the September 11 events. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also emphasized: "Adel al-Jubeir apparently makes ridiculous statements about our country whenever he feels frustrated, and he is advised to refrain from commenting in such situations and to think more about the consequences of his words." Tensions in Iran-Saudi Arabia relations have significantly increased in recent years, especially with the onset of protests in the region and what has been termed the 'Arab Spring.' Following the execution of a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia in January 2016, protests occurred in front of the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad, which ultimately led to these diplomatic sites being set on fire. In response to the attack on its embassy and consulate, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran.