Badawi case: Al-Jubeir raps outside interference

BERLIN: Foreign Affairs Minister Adel Al-Jubeir reiterated on Monday that Iran should change its aggressive policies if it wants to boost relations with its Gulf neighbors.
He made these remarks during a joint press conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin.
Tehran’s continuous support to Bashar Assad’s regime is worsening the Syrian crisis, Al-Jubeir pointed out.
He also lashed out at Iran for meddling in the internal affairs of Yemen, Iraq and Bahrain.
After visiting Berlin, Al-Jubeir is scheduled to travel to Moscow to discuss potential solutions to the Syrian conflict.
Al-Jubeir said that it was important for the conflict to end before it led to the complete collapse of Syrian institutions and infrastructure.
The German minister voiced his understanding over Riyadh and other GCC countries’ concern over the Iranian nuclear deal, indicating that economic sanctions will be strictly re-imposed if Tehran fails to implement the provisions of the agreement.
He added that Germany is keen to have closer ties with Saudi Arabia which, he said, is a key strategic partner in the Middle East and the Islamic world.
Al-Jubeir also touched on the Raif Badawi case during the press conference.
He asserted that the case is a domestic affair and that Saudi Arabia, which has an independent judiciary, will not tolerate any outside interference in the matter.
The minister affirmed that human rights, including women’s rights, are guaranteed by the Islamic Shariah and all procedures are based on religious principles.
Al-Jubeir said that Saudi Arabia is keen to develop its relations with Iran but Tehran must change its policy that rests on its interference in the internal affairs of GCC states.
The Kingdom is closely monitoring Iran’s policies related to uranium enrichment, he said.
Al-Jubeir said that Saudi Arabia is keen to ensure the safety of Yemen and its people and highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to restore the legitimate government of President Abed Raboo Mansour Hadi.
The German minister expressed satisfaction over the military operations against Houthis and the gains made by legitimate forces in Aden and other cities.
He also hoped that military operations would end soon to speed up humanitarian relief.
The German mnister said he will visit the Kingdom in September or October within the context of strategic cooperation between Berlin and Riyadh.