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A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 3 May 2017
Powerful Saudi prince says no space for dialogue with Iran

the Saudi economy. tween hard-liners on both
Framing the tensions with sides. Ties between Saudi
Iran in sectarian terms, he Arabia and Iran have been
said it is Iran’s goal “to con- strained since Iran’s 1979
trol the Islamic world” and revolution, with each side
to spread its Shiite doctrine competing to be the more
in preparation for the arrival powerful force in the Mus-
of a revered imam named lim world.
Mohammed al-Mahdi. Shi- Tensions escalated last
ite Muslims believe al-Mah- year. Saudi Arabia’s ex-
di, the 12th and last Shiite ecution of a local Shiite
imam, who disappeared cleric sparked the ransack-
in the 9th century, will one ing of the Saudi Embassy in
day reappear to bring jus- Iran by protesters. The two
tice to Earth. countries severed diplo-
When asked if he sees a matic and trade ties.
possibility for direct dia- “We know we are a main
logue with Iran, the prince target of Iran,” Prince Mo-
replied: “How can I come hammed said. “We are
to an understanding with not waiting until there be-
someone, or a regime, that comes a battle in Saudi
has an anchoring belief Arabia, so we will work so
built on an extremist ideol- that it becomes a battle
Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reacts during the Gulf ogy?” for them in Iran and not in
Cooperation Countries, GCC, Interior, Foreign, Defence Ministers Joint Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi “What are the interests be- Saudi Arabia.”
Arabia. The Prince said Tuesday in a rare and wide-ranging interview that there is no space for
dialogue with rival Iran. tween us? How can I come On Yemen, the prince de-
(Saudi Interior Ministry via AP) to an understanding with fended the kingdom’s de-
this?” he said. cision to go to war there,
AYA BATRAWY trol the Islamic world.” was named in 2015 by his Iran and Saudi Arabia’s which is costing Saudi Ara-
Associated Press The interview, which aired father, King Salman, as an rivalry has played out in bia tens of millions of dollars
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- on multiple Saudi TV chan- eventual heir to the throne, proxy wars across the re- a day, according to some
ates (AP) — Saudi Ara- nels, offered a glimpse is Saudi Arabia’s defense gion. They back opposite estimates.
bia’s deputy crown prince into how Mohammed bin minister, overseeing the war sides in the wars in Syria The conflict has worsened
said Tuesday in a rare and Salman views the king- in Yemen against a rebel and Yemen and they sup- an already sweeping hu-
wide-ranging interview that dom’s top rival. It also laid group aligned with Iran. He port political rivals in Leba- manitarian crisis in Yemen
there is no space for dia- bare the breadth of his also oversees economic non, Bahrain and Iraq. The and killed thousands of ci-
logue with rival Iran due to portfolio and powers. matters and is behind a conflicts have deepened vilians, mostly by Saudi-led
its Shiite ambitions “to con- The 31-year-old prince, who bold program to overhaul Sunni-Shiite enmity be- coalition airstrikes.
Experts say the more than
two-year-long war has
Islamic State attack on displaced in Syria kills dozens reached a stalemate. Sau-
ZEINA KARAM militants reportedly blew ing when Daesh came militants on a checkpoint di Arabia and its allies have
Associated Press themselves up at a Kurdish and started to shoot at in Sleibi belonging to the not been able to dislodge
BEIRUT (AP) — Islamic State checkpoint while others at- people,” said Abdulah Syrian Democratic Forces, the Iranian-allied rebels,
militants staged a surprise tacked sleeping civilians in Khalef Hamid, an Iraqi a U.S.-backed and Kurdish- known as Houthis, from the
attack early Tuesday at a a nearby temporary camp refugee from Mosul, who dominated force that fights capital of Sanaa and other
crossing frequently used sheltering hundreds of dis- said his mother-in-law was IS. The militants then “com- major cities.
by Iraqi and Syrian civilians placed people who fled IS- killed in Tuesday’s attack. mitted a massacre” against When asked about this,
seeking safety in northeast- controlled territory. “I was wounded and they civilians as they sought to Prince Mohammed said the
ern Syria, killing at least 37 The International Rescue thought I was dead so they enter SDF-controlled terri- Houthis could be uprooted
people, mostly civilians, Committee said thousands left me. We were around tory, Khalil said. “in a matter of days.” But,
Kurdish officials and ac- of people from the Iraqi 200 families, they left at He told The Associated he said, Saudi Arabia has
tivists said. The militants city of Mosul have traveled sunrise,” he added. Press the attack came a not sent ground troops
struck before dawn after west to the Sleibi crossing Daesh is the Arabic acro- few hours after IS suicide to retake the capital and
sneaking into the village of since October, often via nym for IS. bombers dressed in civilian other major cities because
Rajm Sleibi, located along smugglers. In a statement, Redur Khalil, a spokes- clothes sneaked into the it would lead to thousands
a front line that separates it said several children were man for the main Kurdish town of Shaddadeh and of deaths among Saudi sol-
the Kurdish-controlled Has- among the dead and fighting force in Syria, said attacked SDF forces, trig- diers and Yemeni civilians.
sakeh province from IS-held wounded. the attack started with an gering clashes that were “Time is on our side. Pa-
areas further south. Some “It was three in the morn- early morning assault by IS ongoing.q tience is on our side,” he
said.q