Saudi Arabia has intensified its anti-Iran rhetoric over the past years.
The kingdom has also been spreading Iranophobia to achieve its regional objectives.
Riyadh has attempted to brand Iran as a country which intends to plunge the region into turmoil. It accuses Iran of fanning the flames of conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Yemen.
But it is Saudi Arabia that launched a military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, claiming thousands of lives and causing a severe humanitarian crisis in the impoverished nation.
The kingdom is also accused of backing terrorist groups which fight against the Syrian government. Riyadh has reportedly provided the terrorists with logistic and financial support in a bid to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In response to such hostile policies, Iran has called for holding political dialogue to end conflicts in Yemen and Syria. Tehran has always welcomed all moves which can help end bloodshed in these countries. The Islamic Republic has also sent humanitarian assistance to these countries to alleviate the people’s plight.
Saudi officials have also explicitly expressed support for an anti-Iran terrorist group known as Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO). The MKO terrorists have carried out numerous attacks against Iranian civilians and government officials since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, killing thousands of people.
Saudi Arabia also threw its weight behind the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, which began an eight-year war against Iran (1980-88).
Apart from such hostile approaches, the kingdom refuses to shoulder the responsibility for last year’s Hajj stampede which resulted in the deaths of thousands of pilgrims, including hundreds of Iranians.
Despite Riyadh’s antagonism toward Tehran, the Islamic Republic has never taken approaches which could have pitted Muslims against each other.
Iran believes tensions among Islamic nations only benefit Israel and those who want to create division among Muslims.
The Islamic Republic is a regional power whose military might enables it to deter any act of aggression. Nonetheless, it prefers to follow up its complaints against Saudis through international bodies rather than get into a regional confrontation.
Iran Daily