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Eurasia
May 5, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 20
and they need to create a fertile environment for the arrival of the awaited Mahdi, and they need to take over the Islamic world,” he said. “Where are the common points that we might be able to reach an understanding on with this regime?”
In a dramatic departure from traditionally dis- creet and opaque Saudi foreign policy, he even suggested live on air that the battle over regional influence and hegemony ought to be fought inside Iran, not in Saudi Arabia.
“We are a primary target for the Iranian regime,” Prince Mohammed said. “We won’t wait for the battle to be in Saudi Arabia. Instead, we’ll work so that the battle is for them in Iran.”
Although the youthful prince’s comments may be designed to deflect internal criticism for spearheading a Saudi-led Arab military coalition into the Yemeni quagmire, it is the very first time
that a high level Saudi official has threatened
to take the conflict between the two regional rivals straight into Iran’s territory. Saudi Arabia is siding with the internationally recognized Yemeni government of Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi against the Iranian-backed Howthi-led Shia opposition in a conflict that has resulted in a bloody stalemate.
Ironically, the oil-producing regions of both Iran and Saudi Arabia are majority populated by religious and ethnic communities with greater affinity to their rival. Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province that has the vast majority of its oil
is populated mainly by Shias who have been discriminated against and repeatedly accused
by the government of carrying allegiance to
Iran. Iran’s oil producing Khuzestan Province
is majority populated by Ahwaz Arabs, whose several attempts at separatism has subjected them to the full wrath of past and present Iranian authorities.