Khamenei: The U.S. Lacks the Authority to Comment on Regional Security

Two days after the U.S. President's meeting with representatives of six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the leader of the Islamic Republic emphasized that the U.S. "lacks the authority" to comment on regional security and that the security of the Persian Gulf must be ensured by the countries in the region. Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, addressed the Muslim countries in the region and neighbors, saying, "Seek refuge in the camp of the Prophet and the Quran, and do not go to Camp David." According to the official website of the leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on Saturday, May 16, during a meeting with a group of officials of the Islamic Republic and ambassadors of Islamic countries: "The security of the Persian Gulf pertains to the countries of this region that have common interests, not the U.S. Therefore, the security of the Persian Gulf must be ensured by the countries of this region." Khamenei added, "If the Persian Gulf is secure, all countries in the region will benefit from this security, but if the Persian Gulf becomes insecure, it will be unsafe for all countries in the region." Barack Obama, the U.S. President, stated on Thursday, May 14, after a joint meeting with the leaders and representatives of the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council at Camp David that "the U.S. will stand by its Arab allies against any external attack." He also emphasized that the goal of security cooperation with the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council is not to isolate Iran or confront Tehran. The leader of the Islamic Republic further stated that the main focus of what he called the "malicious policies of imperialism" in the region is the "creation of proxy wars," adding that "they are pursuing their own interests and filling the pockets of arms companies." Previously, Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, had accused Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, May 10, of "conducting a proxy war on behalf of the Americans and some European hegemonic powers and international Zionism in Yemen." Iranian officials' statements come as some analysts have previously described the battles in Yemen as a type of sectarian proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In this context, Barack Obama stated on Thursday, February 19, 2015, that "the Shiite-Sunni war will end when governments resolve their differences through dialogue, not through proxy wars." Obama did not name these countries, but the French news agency pointed out that Saudi Arabia and Iran are accused of trying to increase their influence in the region by supporting rival groups in Middle Eastern countries. The leader of the Islamic Republic on Saturday also stated: "While in the early days of Islam, the polytheists of Mecca would stop fighting during the sacred month, today in Yemen, during Rajab, which is a sacred month, bombs and missiles are being dropped on the innocent people of this country." He emphasized, "We will defend the oppressed as much as we can and confront the oppressor." The leader of the Islamic Republic also referred at the beginning of his speech to the "reproduction of the ignorance of the pre-Islamic era," citing the current conditions of Islamic countries, insecurity, fratricide, and the dominance of terrorist groups in the region as examples of "modern ignorance today." Tensions in diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have escalated following the military intervention of the latter in Yemen, and it has even been reported that Iran has complained to the United Nations Security Council about Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia and a group of allied countries have been bombing the positions of the Iranian-backed Houthi Shiites in Yemen since April 6 of this year and are also inspecting ships heading to Yemen to prevent weapons from reaching them.