Tensions mount amidst rift between Iran and Saudi Arabia
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, leaders respectively of the Sunni and Shi’ite blocs within Islam in the Middle East, continued to escalate Tuesday with many commentators expressing fears of a full-blown conflict erupting in the near future. Kuwait announced on Tuesday it was recalling its ambassador from Teheran in solidarity with Saudi Arabia, following similar actions by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan. Western diplomats have appealed to both sides to lower tensions but it did not appear Tuesday as if regional power centers were taking these appeals seriously. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir told reporters “Iran’s history is full of negative interference and hostility in Arab issues” while Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari countered “Saudi Arabia sees not only its interests but also its existence in pursuing crises and confrontations and [it] attempts to resolve its internal problems by exporting them to the outside.” Read More >>
