ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Saudi Arabia has called Iran’s military presence in Iraq, as “unacceptable” and told Iran to stop meddling in Iraqi affairs.
Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, made the comments on Sunday during a press conference.
He accused Iran of sowing “sedition and division in Iraq” and provoking sectarianism between Sunnis and Shias.
Iran maintains it is assisting in the battle for Fallujah at the request of Baghdad and has, in turn, accused Saudi Arabia of supporting extremism.
“The role of our brothers, the Iranian advisers, is remarkable. They have great military skills to face the enemy,” Abu-Kawsar, a commander of the Saraya al-Jihad militia, told Rudaw on Saturday. He added that their number was “not a lot.”
Iran also backs the Shiite militia Hashd al-Shaabi.
Tensions are high between majority-Sunni Saudi Arabia and majority-Shia Iran after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, in January.
A meeting between representatives of the two nations on Saturday failed to resolve tensions. The talks were aimed at resolving the issue of security during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Last year, over 2,000 pilgrims were killed during the Hajj, including hundreds of Iran.
“Unfortunately, Iranian pilgrims cannot go to Hajj this year,” announced Ali Jannati, Iran's minister of culture and Islamic guidance, according to the Iranian state-run IRNA news agency.
“We did whatever we could but it was the Saudis who sabotaged it,” he said.
Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, made the comments on Sunday during a press conference.
He accused Iran of sowing “sedition and division in Iraq” and provoking sectarianism between Sunnis and Shias.
Iran maintains it is assisting in the battle for Fallujah at the request of Baghdad and has, in turn, accused Saudi Arabia of supporting extremism.
“The role of our brothers, the Iranian advisers, is remarkable. They have great military skills to face the enemy,” Abu-Kawsar, a commander of the Saraya al-Jihad militia, told Rudaw on Saturday. He added that their number was “not a lot.”
Iran also backs the Shiite militia Hashd al-Shaabi.
Tensions are high between majority-Sunni Saudi Arabia and majority-Shia Iran after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, in January.
A meeting between representatives of the two nations on Saturday failed to resolve tensions. The talks were aimed at resolving the issue of security during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Last year, over 2,000 pilgrims were killed during the Hajj, including hundreds of Iran.
“Unfortunately, Iranian pilgrims cannot go to Hajj this year,” announced Ali Jannati, Iran's minister of culture and Islamic guidance, according to the Iranian state-run IRNA news agency.
“We did whatever we could but it was the Saudis who sabotaged it,” he said.
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