"SAUDI ARABIA HAS ACTED IN HASTE"

-The world is still discussing the execution of 47 people, including the Shia Ayatollah Nimr al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia, which triggered an extremely negative response from Iran and a deterioration in relations between our countries. Where do the roots of the current tension lie? 

- Ayatollah Nimr al-Nimr was a well-known Shia scholar throughout Arabia, There were few people who didn't know him. He was not only a religious academic, but also an active fighter for human rights. Nimr fought for the protection of the rights of all the people of Arabia, regardless of their Shia or Sunni brand of Islam. Neither he, nor the other Shias, acted maliciously towards anyone. Their struggle was a peaceful one, far removed from violence and armed confrontation. That is why the charges against them of terrorism were wrong and the accusation a fabricated one.

The Saudi regime executed a well-known scholar by a method used by ISIL, beheading. This action has been condemned not only by Iran and other Muslim countries, but also by many human-rights organizations. In response, in order to confuse public opinion, Saudi Arabia has broken off relations with Iran. We believe that the execution of this religious figure was evidence of a lack of respect for a people waging a peaceful struggle for reforms in the country and the formation of a democratic parliament. The execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was a show in a production by Saudi princes who want to foment inter-religious and inter-tribal confrontations in their own country and even other Muslim states.

By breaking off relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia is, in fact, trying to hide its unlawful actions in the country and in the region. The peoples of the region are generally worried and unhappy at these actions.

- But isn't Saudi Arabia accusing Iran of supporting terrorism?

- Most of the peaceful population, especially experts, are in no doubt that such terrorist groups as al-Qa'eda and ISIL have been created by some Western states and with the financial and military support of Saudi Arabia. In recent years al-Riyadh has become the main guardian of terrorism in the region, i.e. ISIL, al-Qa'eda, and even the state terror that has drowned the Yemeni people in blood.

Today, Iran acts as a standard bearer of the struggle against terrorism in the region and is the main support for such countries fighting terrorism as Syria and Iraq. Saudi Arabia's false and groundless charges against Iran are merely aimed at confusing public opinion.

- Last year, during the hajj in Mecca, there was a tragic disaster which took the lives of Iranian pilgrims. Soon after this, Iran rejected the hajj, banning thousands of Iranian Muslims from visiting holy places in Saudi Arabia. What are all these events leading to?

- Through the fault of responsible people in Saudi Arabia, the tragedy on the Mountain of Mercy took the lives of about 5,000 pilgrims, 500 of whom were Iranians. According to international laws, personal safety is a law of obligation for any foreigner in a foreign country. The owners of a house are obliged to ensure the safety of a foreign citizen at the highest level. Even if, in extreme circumstances, this becomes impossible, they must turn to the international community for help. However, during the tragedy at the Mountain of Mercy, responsible persons of Saudi Arabia refused assistance frequently offered by Iran. According to the treaty of 1803, which is still in force, Saudi Arabia is obliged to create all conditions for the unimpeded completion of the holy pilgrimage by Iranians. Also, according to this treaty, they must ensure the safety of Iranian pilgrims. The fact that the Arabian state did not undertake a commitment to find those guilty of the tragedy during the hajj does not exonerate it from international responsibility. The responsibility which Saudi Arabia bears towards foreign citizens, including Iranians, lawfully arriving on the territory of that country is an obligation of human rights, which are allocated a special place in international law.

Other Muslim countries, as well as Iran, also suffered as a result of the tragedy on the Mountain of Mercy. But neither individual countries, nor the international community as a whole, including at the level of the UN or the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have intervened in the situation, as required by international law. And yet, according to the norms of international law, Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for this tragedy. Iran and the other countries that suffered must extract a confession of guilt from Saudi Arabia. 

- The slump in oil prices is also being linked with the cooling of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Is it really all about Saudi Arabia, or others to blame, too?

- The differences between Iran and Arabia arose because of the mistakes of el-Riyadh, which is supporting terrorism in order to disturb the stability in the region. We believe that Saudi Arabia must correct its mistakes by breaking off relations with terrorists and stop supporting them, and only then try to strengthen relations with other countries, including Iran.

- Saudi Arabia is a close ally of the West. Can one believe that the current tension is in the interests of the West?

- Some western countries, who regard themselves as the guarantor of Israel's security, are trying to spark a confrontation between the Islamic countries, and Saudi Arabia, being a cohort of these western countries, is fulfilling its mission to implement their objectives.

- Is the fanning of the Shia and Sunni factors not a policy aimed at weakening the Muslim world? Incidentally, Saudi Arabia is accusing Iran of this.

- Both the Shias and the Sunnis are opposed to terror. The main ideological base for the creation of such terrorist organizations as ISIL and al-Qa'eda has been Wahhabism, which goes against Islam. And Wahhabism is supported by Saudi Arabia. Islam is a religion of peace and in no way approves of the crimes of terrorist gangs like ISIL and al-Qa'eda.

- Some experts describe what is happening between Iran and Saudi Arabia as a leadership struggle in the Muslim world. Is it?

- We are not waging any struggle with Arabia. By breaking off relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia has acted in haste. It must refrain from supporting terrorists and must correct its past mistakes. It now faces a choice: to continue to support terrorist groups or to normalize its relations with the countries of the region. If it sees sense, it can develop friendly relations with Iran.

- Saudi Arabia has spoken about setting up an anti-terrorist coalition of Islamic countries. How can you explain Iran's critical attitude to this initiative?

- The setting up of a coalition by a country which itself is the main patron of terror and is to blame for the emergence of ISIL will not do any good. That is why the countries of the world have not taken this coalition seriously. Iran sees no need for formal coalitions in the struggle against terrorism. Long before the creation of such coalitions, Iran had begun a struggle against terrorism and adopted a number of effective measures in this sphere. Today, Syria, Iraq and Yemen are waging a struggle against terror, and Iran is with them in this struggle.