The Islamic nation claims to be running out of patience over unceasing Saudi aggressions.
Mohammad Javad Zarif , Iranian Foreign Minister
Iran has been too patient in response to constant and increasing hostilities of Saudi Arabia against Tehran according to Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
“We have so far responded to negative Saudi measures with patience because there is a distance between Iranian wisdom and Saudi officials’ misguided and immature approaches,” Zarif said in a meeting with China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Ming in Tehran on Saturday.
“We are not after tension in the region,” the Iranian minister added.
It must be said that the relation between Saudi Arabia and Iran has grown tenser since the execution of top opposition cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, announced on January 2nd. Different governments, human rights organizations and members of the international community have censured widely this execution among many other violations to human rights committed by the Wahhabi regime.
Also, Saudi Arabia suspended its relations with Tehran on January 3rd due to the public demonstrations against the Saudi embassy and consulate in Mashhad and Tehran respectively after the execution of the mentioned cleric.
However, Zarif mentioned that Iran’s intentions are not to increase tensions in the region even more.
In a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Iran’s Foreign Minister mentioned that time has come for Saudi Arabia to decide whether it keeps promoting “sectarian hate-mongering” by its continued support for extremist groups or promote regional stability.
Despite Iran’s intentions, speaking in a press conference after an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh on Saturday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir repeated the kingdom’s anti-Iran speech and said Riyadh is considering “additional measures” against Tehran if it “continues with its current policies.”
On Saturday, January 9, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif and China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Ming met in Tehran.
In regards to Saudi Arabia and Iran’s impasses, Chinese official, for his part, said Iran and Saudi Arabia play an important role in regional developments.
At the same time, the Chinese official praised Iranian foreign policies, adding that his country would spare no effort to contribute to promotion of peace and security.
Written by Lisbeth Mechter