Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubair accused Iran Sunday of intervening in the sovereignty of states.
The Arab League held a meeting Sunday to discuss the diplomatic tensions per Saudi Arabia’s request.
In advance of the Arab League meeting, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry condemned the violations of the Saudi diplomatic buildings in Iran. Further Shoukry impugned Iranian intervention in Arab issues under the pretext of Shi’a protection.
“Egypt refuses all the threats from Iranian officials over [the Saudi kingdom’s] enforcement of its internal law on a Saudi citizen only because he belongs to the Shi’a sect,” Shoukry said.
Shoukry also condemned the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic building in Iran.
“I also reject any attempt to interfere in our affairs under the pretext of fighting Sunni extremism,” Shoukry added.
Shoukry urged the Secretary General of the Arab League to convey the Arab complaint to the UN.
UAE’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bin Zayed rejected any attempt to intervene in the Arab issues.
Bin Zayed said the violations on the Saudi embassy in Tehran reflect either a desire to carry out such violations or negligence.
He also condemned all the Iranian officials’ declarations against Saudi Arabia.
Deputy Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Bin Helly said last week that he had received an official memorandum from the Saudi permanent delegation to the Arab League asking for an urgent meeting to condemn Iranian violations against its diplomatic mission in Tehran, the Egyptian official news agency, MENA, reported.
Director of the Institute of Arab Research and Studies Ahmad Yousef Ahmad expected that the Arab League would condemn the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic mission, without commenting on the execution of Al-Nimr itself.
“Some countries such as Iraq, Lebanon, and maybe Algeria will have reservations of course. Those reservations may result in a carefully-worded statement,” Ahmad told Daily News Egypt. He also expected that the Arab League’s statement will closely mirror the UN statement and will only condemn the attacks on the embassy as per relevant international laws.
Saudi Arabia may take further measures against Iran, in addition to the severance of diplomatic ties that occurred last week, Al-Jubair said Saturday.
“We are monitoring the Iranian movement and will take suitable measures against it,” Al-Jubair said in a press conference.
Al-Jubair commented on the possibility of further Saudi action after emerging from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting. The meeting’s talks centred on the latest development of tensions with Tehran.
Tension have long existed between the two countries; however, they reached new peaks when Saudi Arabia executed 47 persons, including prominent Shi’a cleric Nimr Al Nimr, prompting criticism and anger from several sectors including the Shi’a community in Iran and the Arab world.
Subsequently, protestors attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the consulate in Mashad on 2 January. The GCC condemned the attacks against the Saudi diplomatic buildings and what it called “Iranian intervention in Saudi issues”.
Saudi Arabia also asked the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the “Iranian violations”.
Meanwhile, Iran has filed a complaint with the UN against “Saudi provocative measures”.
