Israel, Saudi Arabia have linked up against Iran: Larijani

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani says Israel and Saudi Arabia are in cahoots against the Islamic Republic, which has played a positive role in providing regional security.

“The Zionist regime and Saudi Arabia have linked up in their enmity towards Iran and in regional and international issues, they are making moves against the Islamic Republic,” he said on Thursday while addressing a session in the Iranian city of Qom.

Tel Aviv and Riyadh, Larijani said, are seeking to provoke the US against Iran, but this situation has led to a break in the belief that always viewed Iran as the cause of trouble, because “everybody is seeing how America is making some mischief.”

“The hostility of the Saudis toward Iran was covert in the past, but they are now openly engaged in enmity against Iran,” he said, adding the kingdom was provoking terrorist currents in the region and counter-revolutionaries against Tehran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek hostility with other countries,” Larijani said.

As for Israel, he said that “the Zionist regime is seeking to support al-Nusra Front after disillusionment with Daesh, because they are worried about the activities of Iran and the axis of resistance, which are detrimental” to Tel Aviv.

Larijani also touched on Iran’s standing in the region and its role in establishing security, saying, “Iran has resolved many crises … and even the Europeans are now aware of the positive role, which Iran has in establishing security,” he said.

The Europeans have sided with Iran after US President Donald Trump refused last month to formally certify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 countries in June 2015.

Larijani said, “Between the United States and its European allies, a schism has been created over Iran’s nuclear issue, which is not of little importance.”

Iran, he said, has made this “achievement with shrewdness” in spite of Saudi Arabia and Israel, which spent money and other resources to scuttle the nuclear agreement, which is known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The parliament speaker also touched on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strong opposition, which he announced in his Tehran visit Wednesday, to any renegotiation of the nuclear deal  to include Iran’s missile program as sought by the US leader.

“The Russian President also emphasized that the JCPOA is not related to security issues, and China has a similar stance on this issue; besides, the three European countries, as the parties to the JCPOA, have stood by the nuclear deal,” Larijani said.