Saudi Foreign Minister: Iran's Military Presence in Iraq is Unacceptable

Adel al-Jubeir, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, criticized what he called Iran's 'interference' in Iraq's affairs, stating that the presence of Iranian military personnel in the country is 'unacceptable.' Al-Jubeir's remarks on May 30 came a day after a group of Sunni politicians in Iraq condemned the presence of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in Fallujah. In recent days, images of the IRGC commander alongside predominantly Shia militias during a 'visit' to Fallujah have surfaced, prompting reactions. Iraqi counter-terrorism forces, the most experienced security forces in the country, were deployed around the city on Sunday as they attempt to retake Fallujah from the self-proclaimed Islamic State, which has controlled the city for nearly two years. According to the Associated Press, Adel al-Jubeir told reporters at a press conference with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in Saudi Arabia that Tehran is the creator of 'sedition and division in Iraq.' Riyadh's criticism of Tehran comes as Iranian officials have also accused Saudi Arabia of being a source of 'division' in the Islamic world; for example, Aladdin Boroujerdi, head of the National Security Commission in the ninth parliament, stated last April that 'Saudi Arabia has become a factor of division in the Islamic world at the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.' Iran is considered a supporter of the central government in Baghdad. Over the past months, Tehran has openly supported Iraqi security forces, predominantly Shia militias, and in some cases Kurdish Peshmerga, in battles against the 'Islamic State.' At the same time, reports have emerged of the direct presence of Iranian 'operational teams' at the borders of the two countries. The commander of the army's ground forces stated at the end of May that ISIS intended to reach 12 kilometers from the border, 'which the ground forces acted upon decisively.' Iran-Saudi relations have once again faced severe tensions. Saudi Arabia has also cut its diplomatic ties with Tehran. Recently, Tehran announced that sending Iranian pilgrims to the Hajj pilgrimage in 2016 has been canceled. Philip Hammond, who was present at the joint press conference with Adel al-Jubeir, traveled to Jeddah and met with senior officials in the country, including King Salman. The discussions revolved around the conflicts in Yemen and the civil war in Syria, countries where Riyadh and Tehran support opposing and conflicting groups.