Rouhani: Iran and Saudi Arabia Are Not Each Other's Problem

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, in his speech on April 15 at the Islamic Cooperation Organization summit in Turkey, while supporting Damascus and Hezbollah in Lebanon, stated, "Neither Iran is a problem for Saudi Arabia, nor is Saudi Arabia a problem for Iran; the main problem is intolerance." Rouhani, who traveled to Istanbul amid one of the latest political tensions between Tehran and Riyadh, asserted that his government is firmly convinced that "resolving disputes and misunderstandings can only be achieved through diplomatic means, peaceful methods, and negotiations." He emphasized that Tehran is ready to create a space for "clarifying ambiguities" through "consultation, dialogue, and interaction." Rouhani also spoke of Iran's support for Kuwait during Saddam's regime, the attacks of "Takfiri terrorists" in Iraq and Syria, and Tehran's backing of Baghdad and Damascus, as well as Hezbollah's confrontation with Israel, as a "constant support" for "Islamic countries and Muslims." These statements come at a time when the issues of Syria and Hezbollah are among the most significant points of contention between Iran and many Arab countries and others worldwide. Iran is considered a supporter of Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey, the host of the Islamic Cooperation Organization summit, Saudi Arabia, and their allies are opponents of the Damascus central government. In part of his remarks, Rouhani referred to the "financial and military assistance" to "some anti-Islamic groups" and stated that such actions have allowed these groups to "take Islam hostage." Iranian officials have, at times, accused countries like Turkey or Saudi Arabia of supporting Sunni armed groups, including some extremist factions. Ankara and Riyadh have also severely criticized Iran's policies in supporting Shiite groups in the region. Iran-Saudi relations have also been overshadowed by the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia, and attacks by a group of individuals on Saudi diplomatic sites in Tehran and Mashhad. Riyadh has unilaterally cut its diplomatic relations with Tehran, and a group of Riyadh's allies has also suspended their relations in line with it. Tehran and Riyadh, along with their allies, have disagreements over Yemen, where the groups supported by both sides have fought against each other for months. Meanwhile, an Arab coalition has also conducted airstrikes against Houthi rebels. Rouhani emphasized the necessity of combating violence everywhere, from Lahore and Damascus to Paris, New York, and Brussels. The thirteenth summit of the Islamic Cooperation Organization was held in Istanbul while the Iranian Foreign Minister protested the draft statement and described some of its provisions as "anti-Iranian."