Saudi Arabia using Iran row to hurt Syria peace talks: Iran FM
The fallout between Saudi Arabia and Iran has led many to question whether peace efforts in Syria and Yemen will be negatively impacted
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif holds a press conference (AFP)
Published date: 11 January 2016 09:37 GMT
|
Last update: 8 years 10 months ago
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday accused Saudi Arabia of using its row with Tehran to "negatively affect" peace talks on the Syrian conflict.
"Saudi Arabia's approach is to create tension intended to negatively affect the Syrian crisis," Zarif said in a foreign ministry statement.
"We will not allow Saudi actions to have a negative impact," he said.
The statement coincided with a visit to Tehran for talks by Staffan de Mistura, the UN peace envoy on Syria, one week after Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in a row that began with the Sunni kingdom's execution of a Shiite cleric.
The UN Security Council is backing an 18-month plan to end Syria's nearly five-year war and the roadmap was the result of recently launched international talks aimed at ending the conflict.
Saudi Arabia and Iran joined world powers at those discussions but there are concerns their split over the execution of cleric and activist Nimr al-Nimr could damage the talks.
Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran and its mission in Mashhad, Iran's second city, were attacked by mobs and set on fire after the killing. Diplomatic ties were cut 24 hours later.
Since then Saudi Arabia has "intensified its actions" against Iran, Zarif said, citing an alleged Saudi air strike said to have caused damage at Iran's embassy in Yemen's capital Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia and Iran back opposite sides in the Yemen conflict.
"They hide their negative approach by attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran's embassy in Sanaa and injuring the personnel of the embassy," Zarif said.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
