Saudi Foreign Minister: Iran's Elections are an Internal Matter

Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, stated that elections in Iran are an internal issue, emphasizing that Riyadh's policy towards Iran focuses on the country's actions rather than individuals. In an interview with reporters on Thursday, he clarified that the topic of elections is a matter for the Iranian people. Al-Jubeir referred to Iran's hostile and aggressive actions in the region, stating that when looking at Iran's policies, the individuals are not of concern, but rather the actions are what matter. The Iranian presidential elections will take place on Friday with four candidates, primarily competing between Hassan Rouhani, the current president, and Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi. During the election campaign, Rouhani and his first deputy, Eshaq Jahangiri, criticized the attack by hardliners on the Saudi embassy. Following the attack on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran. Al-Jubeir further emphasized that since the nuclear agreement (JCPOA) between Iran and six world powers, there has been an increase in Iran's hostile and aggressive actions in the region, rather than a decrease. He accused Iran of attempting to destabilize the region by supporting terrorism, while Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting extremist groups. Al-Jubeir noted that U.S. President Donald Trump has been clear about the need to contain Iran since taking office. According to Reuters, Riyadh welcomed Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, believing that the Obama administration was too lenient towards Iran, which it sees as its main regional rival, and did not value bilateral relations with Riyadh, which it considers a balance in the Middle East. Trump is scheduled to visit Riyadh on his first international trip on Saturday. Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have escalated in recent years with the ongoing wars in countries like Syria and Yemen. International media refer to Iran and Saudi Arabia's roles in supporting conflicting parties in Syria and Yemen as a proxy war between Tehran and Riyadh. Arab countries accuse Iran of interfering in the affairs of Arab states, while Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of 'irresponsible, provocative, and sinister policies, encouraging and financing extremism in the world and the region.' In the Yemen war, Iran supports the Houthi militants, while Saudi Arabia and an Arab coalition support the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. In the Syrian civil war, Iran supports Bashar al-Assad's government, while Saudi Arabia and Arab countries support the opposition. In this context, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that they do not seek to escalate tensions with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of supporting terrorism and threatening regional stability. The Saudi Defense Minister claimed that Iran seeks to dominate Muslim countries. Rex Tillerson commented on Trump's trip to the region, stating it aims to create a coalition against Iran.