Prince Saud says Iran indulging in deception

The presence of an Iranian espionage cell in Saudi Arabia exemplifies Tehran’s hostile attitude toward the Kingdom, said Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal yesterday.
“No country is allowed to recruit individuals to work against Saudi Arabia,” Prince Saud said while answering a question posed by Arab News during his meeting in Ankara with the editors in chief of Saudi newspapers.
Prince Saud was accompanying Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, during his visit to Turkey.
He said Iranian espionage against the Kingdom was unjustifiable. “We will protest strongly against this and inform international agencies, including the United Nations and the Arab League, in order to adopt a suitable stance against Iran,” he said.
Prince Saud said the Iranian spy network violated international norms and contradicted its claims wishing to establish friendly relations with Riyadh.
Last week, Saudi Arabia announced the arrest of 10 more individuals in connection with the Iranian espionage case. The new group included eight Saudis, a Lebanese and a Turk.
Prince Saud said he had met with the Iranian foreign minister a few days before and received positive feedback indicating Tehran’s desire to establish cordial relations with Saudi Arabia.
“What we want now is to see that desire materialize on the ground,” the prince said, adding that the statements of Iranian officials and their actions were contradictory. “They preach what they do not practice, and practice what they do not say,” he said.
Prince Saud highlighted the strong Saudi-Turkish relations, adding that they are at their best. Crown Prince Salman’s visit to Turkey was a success by all standards, the minister said.
He said both countries held similar political views. “Saudi Arabia and Turkey are determined to establish contacts and coordination, and there is a political will to remove obstacles.”
He said the two countries held identical views on Syria, where the solution lies in the removal of the (Assad) regime and giving the people of Syria the final say. He denounced the daily massacre of Syrian people by the regime, which violates international charters.
On Syria, he emphasized the need to arm the opposition to achieve a balance of power and stop the bloodbath. “Bashar Assad has refused to accept reasoning and has opted for a military solution, killing thousands of his people,” he said.
Prince Saud said the Kingdom has not opened its embassy in Iraq mainly for security reasons as opposed to political reasons, adding that the (Nuri) Malki government was deepening sectarianism in the country.
“He has usurped power and attacked the opposition, violating civilian principles of the state. Iraq is an important country and represents the Arab nation’s strategic depth, and it is not reasonable to follow the agenda of another country and its interests at the expense of Iraqi and Arab interests.”