Iran Raps Misuse of Summits in Jeddah, Mecca

Saudis Sowing Muslim Division to Benefit Israel

Date: 31 May 2019 - 21:38

News ID: ۶۶۵۸۳

TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Tehran hit out at Riyadh Friday for "sowing division" in the region to the occupying regime of Israel's advantage, after the kingdom hosted summits of Persian Gulf and Arab leaders to rally support against the Islamic Republic.
Saudi Arabia has "continued to sow division between Islamic countries and in the region, which is the wish of the Zionist regime," Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.
"We see the attempts by Saudi Arabia to rally neighboring and Arab countries against Iran as the continuation of futile attempts by America and the Zionist regime," he added.
Mousavi expressed disappointment that Riyadh intended to level the same "baseless allegations" against Tehran at a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Mecca early on Saturday, "exploiting" its role as host.
Saudi King Salman accused Iran of "acts of sabotage" in the region, saying "the absence of a firm and dissuasive response" had allegedly encouraged the country to continue them.
Iraqi President Barham Salih, who attended the meetings, objected to the accusations. He warned that tensions with Iran could spark a war and voiced hope that Iran’s security would not be targeted.
Tensions in the region spiked after the four ships were damaged in a mysterious sabotage attack off the coast of the emirate of Fujairah on May 12.
Iran has called for the clarification of the exact dimensions of the incident the vigilance of regional states "in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements", and warned against "plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security".
Speaking at a news conference in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, hawkish U.S. national security adviser John Bolton claimed that the vessels were attacked using "naval mines almost certainly from Iran". Iran rejected the accusation, calling it "laughable".
Mousavi on Friday dismissed similar accusations made in the final communique the emergency meeting in Mecca, calling them "unfounded".
"The contents of such statements don’t necessarily reflect the real stance of all members states," he said.
He called on Muslim states not to let the issue of Palestine and the Holy Quds be overshadowed by such divisive policies and strategic mistakes.
"Instead of seizing the opportunity of the International Quds Day as well as the summit of Arab and Islamic states to raise and pursue the issue of the Holy Quds and the Palestinian people's rights, Saudi Arabia ... continued to sow division among Islamic and regional countries, which is the wish of the Zionist regime,” he said.
The spokesman said it has been the long-cherished dream of the Zionist regime that Islamic and Arab states forget about their main and joint enemy and get involved in internal disputes.