Cairo will be hosting on Sunday an extraordinary session of Arab League foreign ministers upon the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at a time when the Arab body is threatening to step up counter measures against "Iranian threats" to Arab security and peace.
The Kingdom’s request follows the launch of an Iranian-supplied ballistic missile at Riyadh from Houthi militia-held territory in Yemen on November 4, and an explosion and fire at a Bahraini oil pipeline a week later, also blamed on Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently accused Iran of “direct military aggression” against the Kingdom by supplying the Houthis with ballistic missiles.
In a memo requesting the meeting, Saudi Arabia attacked the “sabotage” and “terrorism” of the pipeline fire, which temporarily halted oil supplies from its territory. The memo referred to the fire and the missile attack “in addition to the violations committed by Iran in the Arab region, which undermine security and peace, not only in the Arab region, but around the globe.”
Arab League Assistant chief Hossam Zaki told Ahsarq Al-Awsat that there is a possibility of resorting to the United Nations and the Security Council given the gravity of the situation and the threat Iran is posing on Arab security and international peace.
"What Iran is doing against some Arab countries requires multilateral action to bring these interventions to an end,” said Zaki.
He also said that interference is “carried out through several means, and therefore requires a collective Arab policy.”
“The Arab ministerial meeting, which enjoys the support of most countries, will be a firm message to Iran for it to reverse its current policy in the region and its clear and aggressive interventions against Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Lebanon.”
Another Arab diplomatic source expected that the final communiqué of the Sunday meeting would include "a plan for Arab action to limit the danger of Iran's transgressions in the Arab region, as well as condemnation of Tehran's use of the Houthis to threaten the security and stability of Saudi Arabia.”
