MECCA: Gulf and Arab allies rallied around Saudi Arabia Friday as itratcheted up tensions with regional rival Iran after a series of attacks,drawing accusations from Tehran of “sowing division”.
Tehran, which has strongly denied involvement in any of the attacks,expressed disappointment that Riyadh plans to level the same “baselessaccusations” at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)early on Saturday.
King Salman called on Gulf and Arab leaders to confront Iran’s “criminalacts” after still unexplained sabotage attacks damaged four vessels, two ofthem Saudi oil tankers, in the Sea of Oman and twin Yemeni rebel droneattacks shut down a key Saudi oil pipeline.
His remarks came at the start of two back-to-back emergency summits in theMuslim holy city of Mecca that drew near-unanimous support for the Sunnikingdom from Gulf and Arab states — with the notable exception of Iraq.
A joint statement issued by Arab leaders condemned “acts by the terroristHuthi supported by Iran who (sent) aircraft that crossed into Saudi Arabiato two oil pumping stations and acts of sabotage that affected commercialships in territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates”.
They said Iran’s behaviour “poses a direct and serious threat” and calledon “the international community to take a firm stand to confront Iran andits destabilising acts in the region”.
– ‘Support for US strategy’ –
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A joint statement issued by Gulf leaders went further, echoing criticism ofa landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Iran voiced by USPresident Donald Trump when he abandoned the agreement in May last year.
It expressed “support for the US strategy towards Iran” that has seenWashington tighten the screws on Iran’s economy with crippling unilateralsanctions and deploy an aircraft carrier task force, B-52 bombers and anamphibious assault ship to the Gulf, along with additional troops.
Gulf leaders called on Iran to “stay away from hostile, destabilising acts”.
They urged the international community to take “more serious and effectivesteps to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities and to imposestricter restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile programme”.
They also stressed “the importance of strengthening Gulf-US cooperation inthe framework of a strategic partnership” that has been strongly promotedby the Trump administration.
The summits came after Trump’s hawkish National Security Advisor JohnBolton said Wednesday that Iranian naval mines were “almost certainly”responsible for the damage to the four ships off the United Arab Emirateson May 12.
The findings of a five-nation inquiry into what happened have yet to bereleased.
Tehran dismissed Bolton’s accusation as “laughable” and accused him ofpursuing “evil desires for chaos in the region”.
– Iraq declines to sign –
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Saudi Arabia hosted the summits — which will be followed by a third meetingin Mecca early on Saturday of heads of state from Islamic nations — in abid to present a united front.
But Iraq, caught in the middle of its two allies, the US and Iran, opposedthe final statement released by Arab countries.
Despite the US administration’s assurances that it is purely defensive,Washington’s military buildup has raised concerns, even among alliedgovernments, that brinksmanship with Tehran could lead to a dangerousmiscalculation.
Iraq, which has warned repeatedly of the risks of war, has offered tomediate between Washington and Tehran.
Mediation efforts have been made too by the Gulf sultanate of Oman, whichhas maintained good relations with Tehran through successive regionalcrises.
– Qatar present –
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Through the summits, Saudi Arabia has sought to project a unified Arabfront against Tehran in the face of a bitter rift with neighbouring Qatar.
Qatar was represented at Friday’s meetings by Prime Minister SheikhAbdullah bin Nasser Al-Thani, Doha’s highest-ranking official to visit thekingdom since the start of a Saudi-led boycott in 2017.
Appearing tense, the Qatari official shook hands with the Saudi king butthere was no indication of a thaw.
Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse Qatar of supporting Islamist movementsand backing Iran — claims Doha rejects — and they have enforced bans onshipping, trade, direct flights, overflight and land crossings.
The summits coincided with the last few days of the Muslim fasting month ofRamadan, when Mecca throngs with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.
They took place at night, as Muslims break their day-long fasting atsunset. -APP/AFP