Iran Rejects Sending Delegation to Saudi Arabia to Discuss Iraq

The Iranian Embassy in Riyadh in a statement on Saturday dismissed the reports by some Western and Arab media that Iran has dispatched a delegation to Saudi Arabia to discuss Iraq’s unrests and developments.
The statement by the Press Office of the Iranian mission in the Saudi capital said “the report released by some Western and Arab newspapers alleging that Iran has sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia to discuss the internal affairs of Iraq is not true”.

“The formation of the government and election of prime minister are internal affairs of Iraq and related to the people of that country as well as its political parties, groups and formations, which will naturally take place on the basis of that country’s constitution and in compliance with the recent parliamentary elections in Iraq,” the statement said.

Last month, the Baghdad government charged that Saudi Arabia should be held responsible for financing the militants and supporting the crimes committed by insurgent groups in Iraq.
Comments from Riyadh indicate it is “siding with terrorism”, the cabinet said in a statement issued by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s office.

“We strongly condemn this stance,” the statement read.

“We hold it (Saudi Arabia) responsible for what these groups are receiving in terms of financial and moral support”.

“The Saudi government should be held responsible for the dangerous crimes committed by these terrorist groups,” it continued.

In March, Maliki accused both Saudi Arabia and Qatar of supporting terrorism in Iraq.