Iranian Interference Takes Center Stage at Arab Ministers Meeting

Meeting of Arab Quartet Ministerial Committee on Iranian intervention in Riyadh on Thursday/SPA
Meeting of Arab Quartet Ministerial Committee on Iranian intervention in Riyadh on Thursday/SPA
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Iranian Interference Takes Center Stage at Arab Ministers Meeting

Meeting of Arab Quartet Ministerial Committee on Iranian intervention in Riyadh on Thursday/SPA
Meeting of Arab Quartet Ministerial Committee on Iranian intervention in Riyadh on Thursday/SPA

Iranian meddling in the affairs of Arab countries took on Thursday the center stage at the meetings of Arab foreign ministers aimed at preparing the draft agenda and draft resolutions of the 29th Arab League summit to be held in Dhahran on Sunday.

During the meetings, ministers of the League's 22 member states said Iran and terrorism are two sides of the same coin, adding that Arab states should work together to stop Iran from meddling in their affairs.

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned Iranian interference in Bahrain and other Arab countries.

He said there is an Arab consensus on the unity of Syrian territory, adding that a political solution is the best way to resolve the crisis.

For his part, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, who chaired the meetings, asserted that his country neither accepts nor tolerates terrorism and Iranian interference, stressing that there is no peace and stability in the region as long as Tehran meddles in the internal affairs of Arab countries.

The Saudi minister added that Iran is supplying the Houthi militias in Yemen with Iranian-made ballistic missiles, stressing that this act reflects Tehran's adoption of terrorism as a way to destabilize security and stability in Yemen.

Also on Thursday, an Arab Quartet Ministerial Committee on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs condemned continued Iranian meddling.

The committee, which consists of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and the Secretary General of Arab League, said in a statement following its 8th meeting in Riyadh that it was deeply concerned over Iran's efforts to incite sectarian violence in Arab countries, including Tehran’s support and arming of terrorist militias in some Arab countries, resulting in chaos and instability in the region, which in turn threatens Arab national security.



Thousands Protest Housing Crunch, High Rents in Barcelona

Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
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Thousands Protest Housing Crunch, High Rents in Barcelona

Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Demonstrators march to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Thousands of Spaniards rallied in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination.
People held up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living,” and “The people without homes uphold their rights.”
The issue has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world.
The average rent for Spain has doubled in the last decade. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in country with chronically high unemployment.
Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they renovate it and boost the price.
“Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.”
A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters in that strained economic circumstance.
“We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory.