Iran says Saudis back terrorism after prince attends rebel rally
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DUBAI: Iran on Sunday accused Saudi Arabia of backing terrorism after a senior Saudi prince, a former intelligence chief, addressed a Paris rally held by exiled Iranian rebels and told them he wanted the Iranian government to fall.
“The Saudis are resorting to well-known terrorists ... as they have also done in Iraq, Yemen and Syria. This shows that they use terrorism and terrorists to further their aims against regional Islamic countries,” an unnamed Iranian Foreign Ministry source was quoted by Iran’s state news agency IRNA as saying.
The rally addressed by Prince Turki al-Faisal on Saturday was held by the political wing of the exiled People’s Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI), which seeks the overthrow of Iran’s clerical leadership established by the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Saudi media gave top coverage to the speech. The rally was also attended by a number of Western political figures, including former US House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich.
Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting the militant Islamic State group and other such groups, which Riyadh denies. The Saudis say Iran is fomenting sectarian violence in the Middle East and has aspirations to dominate the region.
“Your legitimate struggle against the [Iranian] regime will achieve its goal, sooner or later,” Prince Turki, also an ex-ambassador to Washington and London, had said in his speech. “I, too, want the fall of the regime,” he added.
Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2016
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Comments (59) Closed
Jul 11, 2016 12:08pm
Why everyone is each other's life?
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Jul 11, 2016 01:30pm
Mr Turki is 100% right, the iranian regime is hell bent on destroying the middle east...
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Jul 11, 2016 01:42pm
This would be a kin to a high ranking Indian government official attending a BLA rally in London. The Saudi's are increasingly losing the plot.
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Jul 11, 2016 01:55pm
What Iranian said is true
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Jul 11, 2016 02:02pm
the Saudis wish to topple present Iranian govt is nothing but a big joke because they are not aware how fragile and near collapse their own govt is.
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Jul 11, 2016 02:31pm
When living in a house made of glass, Saudis should not be throwing stones at others. Please live and let live.
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Jul 11, 2016 02:37pm
too much wealth and no contracture things to do lead to this kind of issues . millions of Muslims in poverty world over and lack of education also very high. spend money on tackling it and making Muslims a powerful force to reckon with instead of targeting dissident who does not harm your cause. fun to play with fire. be sure it will burn u also.
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Jul 11, 2016 02:49pm
Both countries should settle their disputes through peaceful talks. Respect of each other is most needed.
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Jul 11, 2016 02:54pm
KSA is acting irresponsibly and should avoid attending such meetings or encouraging
anti state elements.
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Jul 11, 2016 03:18pm
i wonder how come US is maintaining a good relationship with saudi's and isreal
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Jul 11, 2016 03:17pm
End is near for Saudis...they r the principle cause of terrorism
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Jul 11, 2016 03:21pm
Please unite S.A and Iran for the sake of World's and Middle East peace. Its been too much from both sides
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Jul 11, 2016 03:30pm
@mullafk US is partially neutral, supportive of Israel more than Iran.
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Jul 11, 2016 03:39pm
@sohail It takes two hands to clap. Looks like they both are headed towards a show own, soon we would have to make a decision whom to support
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Jul 11, 2016 03:45pm
Iran current leadership has a dangerous expansionism agenda against the neighboring countries and the middle east, which is indeed not in favor of Iran and the Iranian people.
The current leadership must respect the sovereignty of others including Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and immediately stop all ill activities in the above countries.
Saudi enjoys the complete right of self defense!!
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Jul 11, 2016 03:44pm
I know quite a few very decent Iranians who had to flee Iran after the 1979 revolution.
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Jul 11, 2016 03:51pm
@sohail "Mr Turki is 100% right, the iranian regime is hell bent on destroying the middle east..." and what is Saudis are doing in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Bahrain ? are they distributing sweets ? all the terrorists organizations in Middle East are being nurtured by the Saudis and it is on record and Saudis themselves are bombing innocent people in Yemen please read latest UN report in this regard
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Jul 11, 2016 03:59pm
Saudi Arabia mother of all problems for Muslims around the world.
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Jul 11, 2016 04:05pm
Saudi support of terrorism is now open secret. It has become dire security issue for world peace. Saudi and Israeli covert relationship of course does not in the intrest of Ummah.
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Jul 11, 2016 04:12pm
@jeffrey I would agree. the world took Syrian refugees but the oil rich Arab states did not allow a single refugee in their countries. shame on them.
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Jul 11, 2016 04:13pm
both are palying their role to divide ummah
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Jul 11, 2016 04:37pm
pot calling the kettle black.
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Jul 11, 2016 04:45pm
Iran is correct.
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Jul 11, 2016 04:48pm
@Armaan This is wrong one is on the right path. looking at what SA has done in Middle East it seems that SA is on wrong path History will tell. SA Kingdom is very close to its downfall.
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Jul 11, 2016 05:02pm
This is not a good statement it shows saudi mind set.
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Jul 11, 2016 05:12pm
@sohail exactly and it's the only regime close to Jewish lobbyists and involve in many covert operations in around the world especially Islamic world.
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Jul 11, 2016 05:16pm
Majority of rich oil Muslim countries support back terrorism and heavily fund their organisation and UAE is the biggest financier as Dubai is safe from terrorism so far
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Jul 11, 2016 05:25pm
This also exposes complicit nature of western countries. Why should France allow such rallies on their soil, this promotes further hatred and intolerance among the rival countries, resulting in more violence and more immigrants to west.
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Jul 11, 2016 05:27pm
A country named after a family!! wow what a concept!
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Jul 11, 2016 05:43pm
Such senior Saudi prince has done wrong.He should not support overthrow of Iranian regime which is essentially elected.
shah abdul hannan
Political scientist
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Jul 11, 2016 05:42pm
I think Iran is right.
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Jul 11, 2016 05:49pm
Mullahs in Qum need to understand that disagreement with their politics is NOT rebellion or terrorism.
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Jul 11, 2016 06:04pm
Clashes of interest between the two oil-rich giants. But please, mind your own business and don't get us involve into it.
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Jul 11, 2016 06:05pm
@aKZIs You are ill informed! Saudis spend ten times more on military that Iran and so does the Gulf countries....their combined defence budget is fifty times greater than Iran.....
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Jul 11, 2016 06:07pm
@Khurram Jadoon "exactly and it's the only regime close to Jewish lobbyists and involve in many covert operations in around the world especially Islamic world" who Saudi Arabia yes you are right they signed the declaration of Israel, they covertly helped Israel they supported Israel against Hamas and Hizbullah and now they have opened diplomatic office in Israel, they never spoke against the brutalities of Israel it is open now thanks to free media
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Jul 11, 2016 06:09pm
@Ajamal "Mullahs in Qum need to understand that disagreement with their politics is NOT rebellion or terrorism" Yes but achieving the "goals" through terrorist activities is not democracy also
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Jul 11, 2016 06:13pm
@Kabeer , you are wrong. SA is not covertly helping Isreal! they openly partnering them,
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Jul 11, 2016 06:17pm
@Iftikhar Khan Thank you for correcting me
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Jul 11, 2016 06:20pm
Between Iran and the Sauds they have destroyed the muslim world
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Jul 11, 2016 06:28pm
@Muhammad There is another UN report about Iran where it highlights how they have been acting on those exact countries you mentioned. Please stop fooling everyone, and know both countries are on an inevitable warpath.
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Jul 11, 2016 06:31pm
How can Iran blame Saudi royals of supporting terrorism for attending a rally while her own serving military officers (even some generals) are actively fighting inside Syria and some of them have even been killed while fighting for Asad's regime?
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Jul 11, 2016 06:37pm
@Johnpauljones I could not agree more.
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Jul 11, 2016 06:46pm
@sohail Funny you say that without realizing that Saudi Arabia is the country bombing yemen and providing weapons to ISIS and Taliban
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Jul 11, 2016 06:47pm
@Ajamal They are not Mullahs they are Alims they have dealt with their worst enemy USA and the West and have won the war on political fronts. We all must learn how to respect a respectable nation we shouldn't be jealous of Irans development and progress.
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Jul 11, 2016 06:49pm
@SadFaces Yes you are right but Iranian are not involved in supporting terrorists organizations which are killing innocent people in all those countries which I have mentioned in my post moreover Iran is not bombing directly on any nation like Saudis doing in Yemen or Iran has not sent his troops to neighboring country to crush majority population like Saudis have done in Bahrain there is lot of difference between the actions of both of Governments one is killing own people the other is saving the people from the wrath of most brutal terrorist outfits
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Jul 11, 2016 06:54pm
USA, Obama said two months ago that Saudi Arabia, its current government is the main cause of all the hell Muslims are going through there. And Saudi's response was, " we don't care of Obama as long USA people like us". You guys can draw your own conclusion.
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Jul 11, 2016 07:02pm
@anwar siddique And do you know all Saudis, given a chance, with the only exception of the Saudi monarchy will want to escape Saudi Arabia so repressive is the Saudi monarchy.
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Jul 11, 2016 07:16pm
Desparate measure by desperate regime counting its last days!
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Jul 11, 2016 07:33pm
its amazing how both countries are trying to prove themselves switzerland of mideast.
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Jul 11, 2016 08:08pm
@India, As if we all were waiting for your verdict....
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Jul 11, 2016 08:16pm
@SHAH ABDUL HANAN
You think that Iranian Govt is elected??? What a joke...
I lived in Tehran for many years....
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Jul 11, 2016 08:42pm
Iran is a democratically elected government.
I wish I could say the same for the Saudis.
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Jul 11, 2016 09:04pm
Saudi should be helping Palestinians, but they wouldn't dare. An enemy of my enemy is my friend, so the saying goes. So, indirectly Israel is Saudi's friend. Persia is a great country,
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Jul 11, 2016 09:19pm
Present Saudi monarchy won't last long, the real question is whether the next government will be theocracy or secular democracy.
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Jul 11, 2016 09:51pm
@sohail , brother you meant Saudi Arabia not Iran right?
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Jul 12, 2016 03:03pm
It's not such a big news: Saudis are the major sponsor of terrorism around the World...the sooner this corrupted monarchy collapses, the better will be!!
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Jul 12, 2016 07:01pm
The West and Israel policy is very successful , they want them to kill each other, and get destroyed.
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Jul 12, 2016 09:00pm
@aKZIs self defense as in invading Yemen...???
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Jul 12, 2016 09:02pm
@sohail really, Iran and its allies are the only force that is actually defeating ISIS and you say they are destroying Middle East?? Actually, Iran and its allies are now challenging Saudi and allies' domination in the region which was established since 1960s and this is where they and people like you have a problem with...
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