Saudi Arabia cements support against Iran at Arab League summit

Senior Arab officials on Sunday called on Arab states to take more measures against Iran in an attempt to rein in the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy behavior, Arab News reports.

Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, speaking at an emergency Arab League session called in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss Tehran’s “terrorist acts” after attacks on the Saudi Embassy in Iran, said Arab nations must ensure that Iran is stopped from “meddling in the affairs of Arab nations.”

The Arab League in a statement condemned the attacks on two Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran and accused the Iranian government of failing to protect the buildings, Reuters reported. The statement also condemned a militant group found in Bahrain reportedly backed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. All Arab League nations voted in support of the statement except Lebanon, where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group holds serious sway.

The crisis between Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim kingdom, and Iran, a Shi'ite Muslim power, started when Saudi Arabia executed Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on Jan. 2, triggering outrage among Shi'ites across the Middle East and attacks on Saudi Arabia's diplomatic missions in Iran, Reuters reported.

“It is entirely in the hands of Iran, whether it wants to be a good neighbor or it prefers to remain in a hostile environment within the region,” said Al-Jubeir, according to Arab News.

“If it is a nation state, it should act like a responsible state. If not, it will be further isolated,” said the minister.

Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also at the emergency Arab League session, accused the Islamic Republic of intentionally failing to protect Saudi diplomatic posts.

Al Nahyan, who heads the Arab ambassadors' council, said the attack "took place under the nose and within the earshot of security forces."

An Arab League official told Saudi daily Al Eqtisadiya that Arab League members would condemn the attack and would support Saudi Arabia, with the exception of three countries. The official would not say which countries would refuse to support the resolution.

According to the rules governing the Arab League, 11 member states are needed to support a motion; Saudi Arabia is expected to garner the support of 18 countries.

Several Arab countries have already condemned the Iranian attacks and summoned the Iranian ambassadors accredited in their capitals to voice their condemnation, Al Bawaba reported.

Bahrain, Djibouti and Somalia have followed Saudi Arabia in severing diplomatic ties with Iran, emulating the Saudi example, and Bahrain halted all air links to and from Iran.

The session was requested by Saudi Arabia to discuss the attacks, which were a response to the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric earlier this month. The crisis has seen Saudi Arabia and several Arab states cut or reduce diplomatic ties with Iran.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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