Sayyed Hakim: Iraq can help in Tehran-Riyadh rapprochement

Leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim has assured that Iraq plays a key role in rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

According to Iraq’s Al-Forat News Agency, the senior Iraqi cleric made the remarks in Baghdad on Sunday while meeting a group of politicians and activists of the civil society field.

Hakim emphasized the great role Iraq could play “in rapprochement of Iran and Saudi Arabia to avoid any more disputes and unify the foreign policy adopted by different states towards main cases,” said a statement issued by the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.

Iran has protested Saudi Arabia airstrikes against Yemeni civilians which have so far claimed lives of several hundreds of defenseless people.

Saudi Arabia has unfoundedly accused Iran of meddling in Yemen’s internal affairs. Tehran rejects the accusation condemning the use of force by Riyadh against defenseless people of Yemen.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday night summoned Saudi Arabia charge d’affaires to protest against baseless allegation made by the Saudi military spokesman Ahmed Al Asiri who had said Iran is involved in training Ansarullah forces to deal a blow to Yemeni nation and destroy the country’s vital infrastructures.

Rejecting the allegation, the Foreign Ministry said Tehran considers Yemen developments as internal issues.

Another development which added to the tense relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia was sexual assault against two Iranian teenager boys, aged 14 and 15, who were offended by policemen at Jeddah Airport while they were returning to Iran along with their families on March 28 after performing minor Hajj (Umrah) rituals.

The heinous act has been strongly and widely condemned by people, religious and political leaders in Iran.

Senior Iranian officials called on Riyadh to bring to justice the policemen for their disgraceful act against the Iranian pilgrims.

Foreign Ministry summoned Saudi Arabia charge d’affaires in Tehran and lodged a formal protest against the incident.

Two protest rallies were also held in the capital Tehran and the holy city of Mashad in the northeastern province of Razavi Khorassan.

In Tehran, protestors gathered in front of the Consulate of Saudi Arabia chanting slogans against the Saudi regime.