THE
world will soon celebrate the implementation of the landmark agreement
that resolves the unnecessary, albeit dangerous, crisis over Iran’s nuclear program.
All parties hoped, and continue to believe, that the resolution of the
nuclear issue would enable us to focus on the serious challenge of
extremism that is ravaging our region — and the world.
President
Rouhani has repeatedly declared that Iran’s top foreign policy priority
is friendship with our neighbors, peace and stability in the region and
global cooperation, especially in the fight against extremism. In
September 2013, a month after taking office, he introduced an initiative
called World Against Violence and Extremism (WAVE). It was approved by
consensus by the United Nations General Assembly, giving hope for a
farsighted global campaign against terrorism.
Unfortunately, some countries stand in the way of constructive engagement.
Following the signing of the interim nuclear deal in November 2013, Saudi Arabia
began devoting its resources to defeating the deal, driven by fear that
its contrived Iranophobia was crumbling. Today, some in Riyadh not only
continue to impede normalization but are determined to drag the entire
region into confrontation.
Saudi
Arabia seems to fear that the removal of the smoke screen of the
nuclear issue will expose the real global threat: its active sponsorship
of violent extremism. The barbarism is clear. At home, state
executioners sever heads with swords, as in the recent execution of 47
prisoners in one day, including Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a respected
religious scholar who devoted his life to promoting nonviolence and civil rights. Abroad, masked men sever heads with knives.
Let
us not forget that the perpetrators of many acts of terror, from the
horrors of Sept. 11 to the shooting in San Bernardino and other episodes
of extremist carnage in between, as well as nearly all members of
extremist groups like Al Qaeda and the Nusra Front, have been either
Saudi nationals or brainwashed by petrodollar-financed demagogues who
have promoted anti-Islamic messages of hatred and sectarianism for
decades.
The
Saudi strategy to derail the nuclear agreement and perpetuate — and
even exacerbate — tension in the region has three components: pressuring
the West; promoting regional instability through waging war in Yemen
and sponsoring extremism; and directly provoking Iran. Riyadh’s military
campaign in Yemen and its support for extremists are well known.
Provocations against Iran have not grabbed international headlines,
primarily thanks to our prudent restraint.
The
Iranian government at the highest level unequivocally condemned the
assault against the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran on Jan. 2, and
ensured the safety of Saudi diplomats. We took immediate measures to
help restore order to the Saudi diplomatic compound and declared our
determination to bring perpetrators to justice. We also took
disciplinary action against those who failed to protect the embassy and
have initiated an internal investigation to prevent any similar event.
By
contrast, the Saudi government or its surrogates have over the past
three years directly targeted Iranian diplomatic facilities in Yemen,
Lebanon and Pakistan — killing Iranian diplomats and locals. There have
been other provocations, too. Iranian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia have
endured systematic harassment — in one case, Saudi airport officers
molested two Iranian boys in Jeddah, fueling public outrage. Also, Saudi
negligence was to blame for the stampede during the recent hajj, which
left 464 Iranian pilgrims dead. Moreover, for days, Saudi authorities
refused to respond to requests from grieving families and the Iranian
government to access and repatriate the bodies.
This
is not to mention the routine practice of hate speech not only against
Iran but against all Shiite Muslims by Saudi Arabia’s
government-appointed preachers. The outrageous beheading recently of
Sheikh Nimr was immediately preceded by a sermon of hatred toward
Shiites by a Grand Mosque preacher in Mecca, who last year said
that “our disagreement with Shiites will not be removed, nor our
suicide to fight them” as long as Shiites remained on the earth.
Throughout
these episodes, Iran, confident of its strength, has refused to
retaliate or break — or even downgrade — diplomatic relations with Saudi
Arabia. We have until now responded with restraint; but unilateral
prudence is not sustainable.
Iran
has no desire to escalate tension in the region. We need unity to
confront the threats posed by extremists. Ever since the first days
after his election, the president and I have indicated publicly and
privately our readiness to engage in dialogue, promote stability and
combat destabilizing extremism. This has fallen on deaf ears in Saudi
Arabia.
The
Saudi leadership must now make a choice: They can continue supporting
extremists and promoting sectarian hatred; or they can opt to play a
constructive role in promoting regional stability. We hope that
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