Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, criticized Iran’s aggressive behavior towards Gulf States in particular and Arab countries in general.
The former head of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence was addressing a large virtual Arab forum organized by Bahraini Al-Bilad newspaper, with the participation of more than 60 leading Arab figures.
He noted that the danger of the Iranian leadership was reflected in its “political hegemony and interference in the affairs of our countries and its relentless pursuit of nuclear technology.”
Pointing to the dangers of Tehran’s nuclear program and its aim to acquire ballistic missiles, Prince Turki said that the region “lives this danger everyday”, warning of unforeseeable steps that Iran would make in the future.
“The danger of Iran is not limited to its nuclear program, which it claims to be peaceful, but because of its rebellious behavior over the past four decades, by interfering in the internal affairs of our countries and covertly working to dismantle the national fabric of our societies,” he told the forum participants.
Prince Turki emphasized that returning to the nuclear deal would not solve the problem of the Iranian regime’s danger to the region, but rather fuel conflicts.
“We, in the Gulf States, must prepare for all possibilities especially that of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon, and we are committed to a zone where weapons of mass destruction are prohibited,” he stated.
For his part, former Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa called for the formation of a “parallel Arab gathering” to follow up on the Vienna meeting on Iran’s nuclear program, with the aim of defining the interests of the West, achieving the welfare of Arab and Gulf states, and keeping the “nuclear threat” away.
Addressing the forum, Moussa pointed to the “serious and flagrant” absence of the Arab and Gulf component within the Vienna negotiations. He demanded that the Arab stance, in particular the voice of Saudi Arabia, be conveyed to the international community.
