Jubeir: Iran Mobilizes Regional Militias to Support a Dictator

Adel Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, accused Iran in an interview with CNN of fueling ethnic and religious tensions in the region by sending militias from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan to Syria to support Bashar al-Assad. Christiane Amanpour, the CNN reporter, referenced Mohammad Javad Zarif's remarks about Tehran-Riyadh relations during the interview aired on Friday, February 11. The Iranian Foreign Minister stated that Iran does not wish to confront Saudi Arabia and does not want to remove the country from the region. Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia is delusional and thinks that with the support of Western countries, it can exclude Iran from the power equation in the region. Jubeir called his Iranian counterpart's statements 'ridiculous' and emphasized that his country has never had a hostile approach towards Iran. He stated: 'These are ridiculous words from the foreign minister of a country that has intervened in the region for the past 35 years.' He added: 'We have never had hostile intentions against Iran. We have not tried to fuel ethnic and religious disputes in Iran, we have not assassinated Iranian diplomats, we have not attacked the Iranian embassy, we have not smuggled explosives into Iran, we have not created terrorist groups in Iran.' However, Jubeir clarified: 'It is Iran that established Hezbollah, the world's number one terrorist organization; it is Iran that fights for the survival of a ruthless dictator responsible for the death of 300,000 Syrians and the displacement of 12 million people; it is Iran that mobilizes militias from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan to defend this dictator; it is Iran that engages in these actions, not Saudi Arabia.' The Saudi Foreign Minister further stated that they have always expressed a desire for good relations with Iran, but neighbors must behave based on principles of good relations and non-interference. He emphasized that they have never had a hostile approach towards Iran while Iran has had such an approach towards them. Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia soured following protests in Arab countries and what is termed the 'Arab Spring,' but after the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, the embassy and consulate of that country in Tehran and Mashhad were attacked. One day after these attacks, Saudi Arabia severed its relations with Iran. One of the contentious issues between Iran and Saudi Arabia is the war in Syria. While Tehran supports Bashar al-Assad, Saudi Arabia supports opposition groups against the Syrian government. In the Yemen war, Iran supports the Shia Houthi militias and supporters of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president of Yemen. In contrast, Saudi Arabia is currently bombing the positions of the Shia Houthi militias to support the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi in Yemen. 'Bashar al-Assad has no future' in Syria, Jubeir stated in another part of the interview regarding the Syrian civil war, asserting that Riyadh will support any political solution that does not include Bashar al-Assad. The Saudi Foreign Minister said: 'A man responsible for the death of over 300,000 people and the displacement of 12 million people from his country, as well as the destruction of Syria, has no future in this country.' He added: 'Bashar al-Assad will be removed from power. He will be ousted through a political process or by force; the people of Syria will not accept his rule.' Jubeir reiterated that Saudi Arabia is ready to send ground forces to Syria alongside the U.S.-led coalition. The proposal for Saudi Arabia to send troops to Syria has faced strong reactions from the Syrian government and Iran, while the U.S. welcomed the proposal. In this context, Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian Prime Minister, warned that sending ground troops from other countries to Syria could spark a world war. He added: 'The U.S. and our Arab friends should think about whether they want a permanent war or not.' The Russian Prime Minister, in an interview with the German newspaper Handelsblatt, stated that 'the ground operations of other countries on Syrian soil will draw everyone into this war.' In response to a question about Saudi Arabia's readiness to send ground troops to Syria, Medvedev said: 'The U.S. and our Arab friends should consider whether they want a permanent war or not.' The Independent reported that the Saudi government confirmed on Tuesday that it is planning to send ground troops to Syria to fight ISIS. Countries currently fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) in the U.S.-led international coalition include Britain, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Canada, and Australia. Medvedev also criticized the lack of cooperation from Western powers with Russia to resolve the Syrian crisis. He added that this crisis should be resolved through dialogue, not by opening new fronts in this war. Global powers reached an agreement in an emergency meeting in Munich, Germany, regarding the implementation of a nationwide ceasefire in Syria within a week. In this context, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated that a 'halt' in the fighting between government forces and Western-backed rebels would be implemented within a week. He added that this 'ambitious' ceasefire plan does not include Western attacks on the Islamic State and other extremist Islamist groups in Syria. However, British Foreign Secretary David Hammond stated that the cessation of hostilities in Syria would only be feasible if Russia stops its airstrikes in support of government advances against rebel positions. In this context, Rouhani rejected accusations of Iranian interference in regional countries. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain 'prevent Iranian ships from entering their waters.' An Iranian military official stated that Saudi Arabia has no new capabilities for presence in Syria. King Salman: Other countries should not interfere in Saudi internal affairs. Salami: Our position in Syria is to elevate to a major regional power. Jafari: I do not think Saudi Arabia has the courage to send troops to Syria. Changing the game for 'proxy wars'; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph: the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalization of Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis.