"IRAN IS LIMITING POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS"

-The world is still discussing the executions of 47 people in Saudi Arabia, among them the Shiite ayatollah Nimr al-Nimr, which have led to an extremely negative reaction from Iran and a worsening of relations between your countries. What is at the root of the current tensions?

- As you know, everything began when Iran made aggressive statements regarding the carrying out of sentences by the Sharia court; subsequently our country's embassy in Tehran and general consulate in Mashhad were attacked, their buildings razed and property looted. 

First I must say that these statements have shown the true face of the Iranian regime, which supports terror and continues a policy of destabilizing and destroying the security of the countries in the region. By supporting the actions of terrorists and attempting to justify their actions, the Iranian regime becomes a co-participant in them and must be held accountable for its policies that incite and create tension. 

As for the second question, the attacks on the kingdom's embassy and consulate are a blatant violation of international norms and law, the most basic rules of international conventions which guarantee the inviolability and safety of diplomatic missions, foreign consulates, and their staff in the countries in which they are located. 

- Last year a tragic accident during a pilgrimage to Mecca took the lives of Iranian pilgrims. Soon afterwards Iran forbade pilgrimages, keeping thousands of Iranian Muslims from visiting holy sites in Saudi Arabia. What will these events lead to?

- Despite the suspension of relations with Iran, the kingdom approves of the carrying out of both the Hajj and the umrah (a minor hajj - editor's note) by Iranian pilgrims and does not refuse to accept them. Undoubtedly, each Muslim has a right to enter the kingdom's territory to carry out Islamic religious rites. As for the ban placed by Iran on the pilgrimages of its own citizens, this comes as no surprise. Iran has a history of limiting political, cultural, and ethnic freedoms. Now they have added religious freedoms to the list. 

- Some also relate the deteriorating of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran to falling oil prices. Is it truly Saudi Arabia's doing, or are others at fault?

- Of course, some political factors and events can affect global oil prices. However, overall the optimal price is determined by the interrelation of supply and demand. As the world's largest oil producer, Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with other petroleum-producing countries, tries to provide stability for oil prices. This is good both for producers and consumers of oil, since sharp fluctuations in oil prices can harm consumers as much as producers. The realities of protecting petroleum-producing countries and oil consumers, as well as the desire to strengthen cooperation between them, led Saudi Arabia to take the initiative in the creating the International Energy Forum in Riyadh. 

Overall the kingdom has a neutral and circumspect oil policy. At the basis of this policy are the principles of oil market stability through a balance of supply and demand, observation of the interests of all sides, and the creation of a balance between the present and the future. All of these factors increase the importance and relevance of oil, allowing it to play a more active role as a fundamental energy source, turning it into an important means of providing wealth and economic development in the world. 

- Saudi Arabia is a close ally of the West. Can we suppose that current tensions are to the benefit of the West's interests?

- It is not the West, but Iran that makes aggressive statements and attacks foreign embassies and consulates. Its blatant meddling in the internal affairs of states such as Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Bahrain and its support for terrorists in these countries is also the work not of the West, but of Iran. 

As for Saudi Arabia's ties to various countries in the world, I would like to say that in international issues the kingdom tries to create equal relations based on mutual respect with the great powers. Ties with centres of power are based on multifaceted interests and reflect that our country's importance in the Arab and Islamic world has increased. Through these ties the kingdom attempts to broaden its activity in international relations as well. Therefore by building its relations with centres of power and influence in international politics, the kingdom takes into account all the consequences and responsibilities that precede from the policy I have described. 

- Isn't the heightening of Shiite and Sunni tensions a policy aimed at weakening the Islamic world?

- Inciting Sunni-Shiite strife lies at the heart of the Iranian regime's policy of inter-religious strife, and by inciting this strife it meddles in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries. If you look at the civil wars and inter-religious conflicts in neighbouring countries, you will see that the main inciter is the Iranian regime. Undoubtedly, this policy weakens the Islamic world. To prevent this Iran must turn away from its policy of inciting strife between the branches of Islam.

- Some experts characterize what is happening between Iran and Saudi Arabia as a battle for leadership in the Islamic world. Is that true?

- All countries strive for leadership in one sphere or another. Our kingdom, too, since its very foundation has tried to be a leader in aiding Muslims, in defending them, in solving their problems, in providing material and moral support to Muslim communities wherever they may be. We are not like some countries who constantly speak about Islam but support states that occupy the territory of Muslim countries. 

- Saudi Arabia has announced the creation of an anti-terrorism alliance composed of Islamic countries. What effect will the creation of anti-terrorism organizations operating independently of one another have on the solution of the problem? Wouldn't the creation of a united anti-terrorism coalition be more effective?

- The presence of international structures does not preclude the creation of regional analogues. For example, the existence of the United Nations does not rule out the operation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Indeed, regional structures encourage effective cooperation and coordination between countries in the region, since these countries are more familiar with their own problems and are directly responsible for their solution. 

The creation of our coalition proves, first of all, that many countries in the Islamic world have already turned away from a passive observer's role in events and have begun to take an active role. With threats increasing in today's world they intend to take the initiative into their own hands. 

- Saudi Arabia has invited Azerbaijan to join this coalition. Baku, however, has not yet stated its position. Why is this?

- Quite the opposite. Azerbaijan was one of the first to approve the creation of this coalition. The press secretary for the Azerbaijani foreign ministry stated that the issue is being considered, and that as a country suffering from terrorism, Azerbaijan categorically condemns terrorism in any form. In his statement the press-secretary noted that according to the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the country's participation in a structure of that sort must be considered after the country's internal procedures are taken into account. I believe that the Republic of Azerbaijan has extensive experience in this field, with its armed forces having taken an active part in peacekeeping operations and the battle against terrorism. This experience could be useful in the work of the Islamic Anti-Terrorism Coalition.