Iran's Foreign Ministry Describes Saudi Crown Prince's Statements as 'Brazen'

In response to recent statements by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accusing Iran of 'harboring' Al-Qaeda elements, Iran's Foreign Ministry labeled these remarks as 'brazen' and in turn attributed the 'establishment' of Al-Qaeda to Saudi intelligence agencies. According to IRNA news agency, Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday, March 19, called the recent comments by Mohammed bin Salman 'clumsy propaganda' and stated: 'The role of the Saudi government and rulers in creating the most dangerous terrorist groups in contemporary history and significant terrorist events such as September 11 cannot be concealed.' Mohammed bin Salman, who began a three-week trip to the United States on Tuesday, had stated in an interview with CBS two days prior to his arrival that Iran shelters Al-Qaeda forces and does not hand them over to the U.S. He also claimed that Osama bin Laden's son, the new leader of Al-Qaeda, resides in Iran and continues his activities with the support of the Islamic Republic. However, Bahram Qasemi attributed the 'establishment of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda' to Saudi intelligence agencies and referred to the classified U.S. report on the September 11 incident. On September 11, 2001, nearly three thousand people were killed when several passenger planes hijacked by terrorists struck the World Trade Center towers in New York and the Pentagon. Fifteen of the nineteen perpetrators of the September 11 attacks were Saudi nationals, but Riyadh strongly denies any connection between them and the Saudi government, and such connections have not been confirmed by international legal entities. Regarding the connections between Al-Qaeda and Iran, Bahram Qasemi provided explanations on Tuesday, stating: 'In the early years of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the fleeing of Al-Qaeda forces, some of them illegally entered Iran through some of the long land borders with Afghanistan, where they were arrested and handed over to their respective governments based on their documents and nationalities.' He added: 'Among those arrested were several members of the bin Laden family, and due to their Saudi nationality, the matter was communicated to the Saudi government, and in coordination with them, bin Laden's daughter was handed over to the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and the Saudi officials requested that other members of the bin Laden family be expelled from the same border through which they had illegally entered Iran, which was done as per their request.' The connections of Osama bin Laden's family with Iran have frequently been mentioned in the news, and most recently, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) released documents on this matter in November of this year. When this report was released, NBC reported, citing two U.S. intelligence officials, that these documents indicate Iran offered Al-Qaeda money, weapons, and training in Hezbollah camps in Lebanon in exchange for striking U.S. interests in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. Another document indicates tensions in the relationship between Iran and Al-Qaeda, the arrest of elements of this group in Iran, and a letter from bin Laden to Ayatollah Khamenei requesting the release of his family members. Additionally, one of the files pertains to the wedding ceremony of Hamza, bin Laden's son, which has been reported to have taken place in Iran. Bill Roggio, one of two senior researchers at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who reviewed this case and its attached documents, stated in an interview with Radio Farda in November: 'We know that Iran continues to allow operational Al-Qaeda agents to carry out their activities from within Iran.' He added: 'At least as long as these actions are aimed at undermining the U.S. in the region, the Iranian government turns a blind eye to their actions.' Previously, Mike Pompeo, the former CIA director, also accused Iran of collaborating with Al-Qaeda and stated that these documents would be released. Iran has consistently denied any connection with Al-Qaeda and sheltering members of Osama bin Laden's family. Bahram Qasemi also reacted to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's trip to the U.S., stating: 'Bin Salman is brazenly trying to use every means to pave the way for his ascent to the throne during his trip to America.' Mohammed bin Salman arrived in the U.S. on Tuesday for a three-week visit and is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on the same day. Regional issues concerning Iran and countering Tehran's 'influence' in West Asia are expected to be among the topics of discussion between the two sides. During this trip, the Crown Prince will also visit New York, Boston, Houston, and San Francisco. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, stated at a press conference ahead of bin Salman's visit that 'our relationship with the United States is better than ever.' The influential and young Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who is preparing for the throne, hosted Donald Trump in May. It has also been announced that high-ranking officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar will meet with the U.S. President in Washington next month.