An
Iranian cleric accused Saudi Arabia on Friday of giving refuge to
terrorists and committing crimes in Arab states including Syria, the
Iranian Students’ News Agency ISNA reported.
Relations
between Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Iran have been strained over
Iran’s nuclear program and what Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf Arab
states say is Iran’s meddling in Arab affairs.
Tehran denies the charge and has condemned what it calls foreign interference in the affairs of its closest Arab ally, Syria.
“The
Saudi government has become the center of sedition in the region and a
safe haven for terrorists,” hardline cleric Ahmed Khatami said during a
sermon at Friday prayers.
“They
are taking seditionist acts in Syria ... I warn them that if they do
not stop such actions, they will be burned with the fire they have
created themselves,” Khatami said, according to ISNA.
Shiite
Muslim Iran backed popular uprisings which have removed leaders in
Egypt, Libya and Yemen, but has steadfastly supported Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad, who is a member of the minority Alawite sect, an
offshoot of Shiite Islam.
Backed
by Western countries, Riyadh has spearheaded Arab efforts to counter
Assad’s suppression of a year-old uprising and to demand that he step
down.
In
October, the United States said it had uncovered an Iranian-backed plot
to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington. Iran denied any
involvement.
Riyadh suspects Tehran of backing unrest in neighboring Bahrain and supporting Shiite rebels in northern Yemen.
Saudi
Arabia has indicated it could increase oil output to make up for
Iranian crude in the event of a European Union embargo against Iranian
oil, a stance criticized by Iranian officials.
No comments:
Post a Comment