Zarif: Iran Will Act in Favor of Saudi Arabia in Case of Foreign Aggression

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, expressed hope for resolving Tehran-Riyadh disputes and stated that in the event of "foreign aggression" against Saudi Arabia, Iran would act in favor of this country. According to the IRNA news agency, Zarif emphasized Iran's readiness to resolve differences with Saudi Arabia after his speech at the Islamabad Strategic Studies Institute, welcoming former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's efforts to initiate these talks. However, Zarif noted, "The problem is that the Saudis think it is in their interest for the world to believe they are under threat (from Iran)." In another part of his speech, Iran's Foreign Minister considered the security of Iran's neighbors to be Iran's security, stating, "If one day Saudi Arabia faces any foreign aggression, Iran will be the first country to act to help this country." These remarks come at a time when Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, refers to Saudi Arabia as a "reactionary regime" that "will certainly face decline and fall." Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have deteriorated significantly, especially since King Salman ascended to the throne and Mohammed bin Salman was announced as Crown Prince. Officials from both countries speak in very harsh tones against each other and accuse one another of interfering in internal affairs. In one of the latest attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during a visit to Britain, referred to Iran, Turkey, and extremist groups as the "modern triangle of evil." Iran and Saudi Arabia are recognized as two regional rivals engaged in a power struggle in the Middle East, with Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestinian territories being among the disputed areas. Iran supports the Houthi rebels in Yemen, while Saudi Arabia and its allies are at war with the Houthis. The Houthis periodically launch missiles at Saudi Arabia, which Riyadh claims are made in Iran, an accusation that Iran denies. Iran also supports the Shia in Bahrain against its Sunni rulers, while Saudi Arabia maintains forces there to preserve the Al Khalifa regime. In Iraq, Iran backs Shia groups and had a military presence in the fight against ISIS, while Riyadh has been critical of the Iraqi government and did not have an embassy there for a long time. In Syria, Saudi Arabia has been a major supporter of rebels against Bashar al-Assad, while Iran has supported the government and has a presence in the country. In Lebanon, Iran supports a Shia-Christian coalition and provides financial and military support to Hezbollah, while Saudi Arabia has supported the March 14 coalition led by Saad Hariri. However, after the controversy surrounding Saad Hariri's "forced" stay in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia's full support for Hariri has come into question. In the Palestinian territories, Iran supports groups that adopt an armed approach against Israel, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, while the Saudis are more inclined towards the Fatah movement and the Palestinian Authority. Additionally, during the blockade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia and its allies, Iran provided air and sea access for Doha. Regarding the JCPOA, the Saudis have opposed the nuclear agreement from the beginning. Tehran and Riyadh also compete with each other in OPEC.