Iran Focus
London, 29 Nov – In his address to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Joint Seminar of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group and the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Defense and Security Cooperation at the Italian Parliament headquarters in Rome on Monday, Mohammed bin Amin Al-Jeffery, deputy chairman of the Shoura Council, said Tehran spends over $30 billion annually in supporting and promoting terrorism through its proxies. Al-Jeffery said Tehran is interfering in the internal matters of Arab countries and has a long history of supporting terrorism and armed groups. He added that Iran is utilizing all its resources to spread chaos in a number of countries in the region.
The deputy chairman also said that Saudi Arabia has never shown any hostility toward the Iranian people, and yet the Iranian regime is still supporting the Houthi militia and providing the rebel group with arms including ballistic missiles, with which they recently tried to target Riyadh.
He added that the international community, while celebrating its victories against Daesh, should not forget the dangers that the Iranian regime poses to regional and global stability.
Al-Jeffery spoke about the nuclear deal with world powers. He said that it did not prevent Iran from pursuing its aggressive policies in the region.
He also discussed the Kingdom’s efforts in Yemen. He said that Saudi Arabia has given material and moral support to the Yemeni people, and is making efforts in collaboration with other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to ensure peace and stability in Yemen.
Arab League foreign ministers held an emergency meeting in Cairo last week, and gave their full solidarity to Saudi Arabia for any measures it may take to counter Iranian threats. Iran was warned by the Arab foreign ministers to stop interfering in the internal affairs of their countries and end its support for Hezbollah and Houthi militias. An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss Iranian aggression was called for, as well.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Arab League Secretary-General, said the missile that targeted Riyadh was “an Iranian message of aggression which is unacceptable in form and substance.” He added, “The Iranian missile program poses a dangerous threat to the region and its security. Iranian threats have crossed a line, and they are pushing the region to the brink. Iran is adopting a sectarian strategy to fuel regional conflicts and is seeking to make Yemen a thorn in the side of Saudi Arabia and the Arab world.”
The secretary-general urged Tehran to “review its policies toward the region and stop its interference.”
