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Saudi Hostile Policy Doomed

Saudi Hostile Policy Doomed
Saudi Hostile Policy Doomed

Saudi Arabia's hostile policy, involving measures to restrict the shipment of Iranian oil, is doomed, as its goes against the growing global interest in building up ties with Tehran, the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson said.

"Saudi Arabia is pursuing a counterclockwise policy. This is an abortive policy that will never be successful," Hossein Jaberi Ansari was quoted as saying by IRNA. Saudi authorities have announced that oil tankers loading in Iran during any of their last three port calls are required to obtain permission before entering Saudi territorial waters.

"Such moves and positions by Saudi Arabia are beyond the Arab country's executive powers," Ansari told reporters during a regular press briefing on Monday.

"Saudis are seeking to advance their interests by violating international and regional agreements. It is a not a position only against Iran and runs counter to the wishes of regional and other countries that seek to benefit by boosting cooperation and trade with Iran."   

Ansari said the era of such policies is over and Saudi Arabia is risking a confrontation with many regional and world countries.

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which support opposing sides in regional conflicts, especially in Syria and Yemen, culminated in an announcement by Riyadh in early January to sever bilateral diplomatic ties.

The decision followed the storming of the Arab kingdom's missions in Iran by protestors outraged by the Saudi execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Iran has been given relief from international sanctions under a nuclear deal with major powers that went into force early this year.

The sanctions relief that has restored Iranians' access to the global community and opened the Islamic Republic to overseas businesses and investment is worrying Saudi officials who see it as a considerable boost to its powerful regional rival.

  Mogherini's Visit

A high-level European delegation headed by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini is due in Tehran later this week, the spokesperson said.

"Federica Mogherini, the EU foreign policy chief, will lead a large delegation, including seven EU commissioners, to Tehran on Saturday," he said.

"The EU commissioners are in charge of energy, research, environment, sports and industrial sectors, and the meetings will cover important political and economic issues."

Ansari said the visit will usher a new era of Iran-Europe relations and lay the foundation for expansion of economic cooperation. 

Financialtribune.com