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The Arab League met in emergency session to show support for Saudi Arabia which is spearheading a front to block increasing aggression by Iran and its radicalized, oppressive government. Tehran accused of provoking violence targeted at undermining Arab World stability
Gulf Cooperation Council also condemns Iranian violence and terrorism in region
Arab League foreign ministers meeting in emergency session in Cairo today expressed their full support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and condemned the recent attacks on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashad.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir thanked the Arab League Council for its rapid response toSaudi Arabia’s request to hold the meeting. “It is no secret to the council that these attacks came after aggressive statements against the Kingdom,” Minister Al-Jubeir said.
In its communique issued following the meeting, the Council of the Arab League held Iran responsible for the attacks, calling on Iran to abide by international conventions and treaties, mainly the 1961 and the 1963 Vienna Conventions, which hold host countries responsible for protecting diplomatic missions. The communique was supported by all member states except Lebanon.
The council deplored Iran’s hostile and provocative statements against Saudi Arabia following the execution of a number of terrorists who were convicted and sentenced in Saudi courts. The council considered the Iranian statements to be blatant interference in Saudi justice and the internal affairs of the Kingdom, and incompatible with the UN Charter.
The council emphasized that it was standing united with Saudi Arabia and that it supported the decisions and measures taken by the Kingdom to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and to find the perpetrators of terrorist acts and instigators of sedition and bring them to justice.
The council commended the efficiency, independence and impartiality of the judicial system in Saudi Arabia and welcomed the categorical rejection of these attacks expressed by Arab, Islamic, and friendly countries and the UN Security Council.
The council called on the international community—all countries and regional and international bodies and organizations—to take serious and effective steps to prevent such attacks on all diplomatic missions in Iran.
The council deplored the Iranian government’s failure to take necessary measures to protect diplomatic facilities and personnel of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Iran, stressing that the Arab countries will take further appropriate measures.
The council condemned the continuing Iranian government interference in the internal affairs of the Arab countries over the past decades, stressing that such acts undermine security and stability in the region, are a violation of international law and are contrary to the principle of good neighborliness.
The council denounced Iran’s continuing occupation of the three United Arab Emirates islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa. It also condemned Iran’s fomenting of sectarian strife, its support, training and financing of terrorist organizations, and its attempts to incite actions to undermine security and stability in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It referred to the foiled terrorist plot in the Kingdom of Bahrainand the arrest of members of a new terrorist cell that receives support from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The council condemned Iran’s continued interference in the Syrian crisis and the serious implications of this interference on the future of Syria and its security, stability, national unity and territorial integrity.
The council also condemned Iran’s intervention in Yemen’s internal affairs through its support for forces fighting the legitimate government in Yemen, which have had a negative impact on the security and stability of the entire region.
The council agreed to up an effective mechanism to confront this Iranian interference, urging the international community to take the necessary measures to compel Iran to respect the principle of good neighborliness, both in words and in deeds, to stop its destabilizing activities in the region, to stop its support for terrorism, to cease interfering in the internal affairs of the GCC countries and other countries in the region, and to end the use of force or threat of force against others.
The council stressed that Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries fuels sectarianism and that such acts do not serve peace and security in the Middle East region and the world. Such acts are incompatible with the principles of good neighborliness, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and respect for national sovereignty, and only serve to complicate the situation and ignite more crises in the region.
The statement said that Lebanon’s delegation to the meeting decided not to join the communique after the Council of Arab Ministers rejected its request that a phrase mentioning Hezbollah of Lebanon be deleted because the party is an integral part of Lebanon’s House of Representatives and the Council of Ministers.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers also announced they fully back Saudi Arabia’s actions to fight terrorism and bringing to justice those who commit or sponsor acts of terrorism in a statement issued today after an extraordinary meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council.
The meeting was held in Riyadh under the chairmanship of Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir.
The council discussed at length the repercussions of the attacks on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad. The ministers condemned the attacks in strong terms, holding the Iranian authorities fully responsible for these acts in accordance with its commitments under the 1961 and 1963 Vienna Conventions and other articles of the international law, which hold host countries responsible for protecting diplomatic missions.
The council also condemned Iran’s blatant interferences in the internal affairs of Saudi Arabia, particularly the Iranian government’s hostile and provocative statements on the sentences carried out by Saudi Arabia against a number of persons convicted by Saudi courts of terrorism. These statements were a direct incitement for launching the attacks on the diplomatic missions of Saudi Arabia.
The council stressed that such acts do not serve peace and security in the region and the world; are contrary to the principles of good neighborliness, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and respect for national sovereignty; and only serve to complicate the situation and ignite more crises in the region.
The council stressed that GCC countries support the decisions and measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to find perpetrators of terrorist acts and instigators of sedition and bring them to justice.
The GCC foreign ministers praised the efficiency, independence and integrity of the judiciary system in Saudi Arabia.
The council expressed its full support for the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to respond to the attacks on its diplomatic missions in Iran, stressing that the GCC countries will take further appropriate measures. The council welcomed the categorical rejection of these attacks expressed by Arab, Islamic and friendly countries and the UN Security Council, calling on all States and the international community to take serious and effective steps to prevent such attacks on diplomatic missions in Iran.
The council condemned Iran’s continued occupation of three islands that are the territory of the United Arab Emirates, fomenting of sectarian strife, support for terrorist organizations, and incitement to undermine security and stability in the GCC countries. The council agreed to establish an effective mechanism to address the Iranian interference.
The council urged the international community to take necessary measures to compel Iran to respect the principle of good neighborliness, to stop its destabilizing activities in the region, to stop its support for terrorism, to cease interfering in the internal affairs of the GCC countries and other countries in the region, and to end the use of force or threat of force.
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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