Iran faced widespread criticism from several Muslim-majority countries as well as non-governmental and religious organizations after it carried out retaliatory attacks on US and Israeli military bases located in several neighboring Muslim countries on Saturday following the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said Iran strikes Riyadh and its eastern region, warning it reserves the right to defend itself, including retaliating.
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Saudi Arabia “expressed its strongest condemnation of the brazen and cowardly Iranian attacks targeting Riyadh and Eastern Province regionswhich were repelled,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“In light of this unjustified aggression, the Kingdom declares that it will take all necessary measures to defend its security and protect its territory, citizens and residents, including the ability to respond to aggression.”
Iranian attacks on military bases were reported from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Doha in Qatar, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Manama in Bahrain, and Amman in Jordan.
Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates and the fifth US base in Bahrain were targeted. Iranian missile attacksThis was reported by the Iranian agency Fars.
Iran has previously said it will retaliate against US bases. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq that he would use all of his defense and military capabilities within the legitimate right of self-defense, Reuters reported, citing a Telegram post.
UAE: Flagrant violation of national sovereignty
The United Arab Emirates expressed strong condemnation of Iran’s missile attacks, which were aimed at its territory and several countries in the region, calling them a clear violation of national sovereignty and international law.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned Iran for what it called “targeting the sovereignty and territory of neighboring member states – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar. The OIC said the attacks had escalated and posed a threat to the stability of the region.”
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“The General Secretariat emphasizes that the continued violation of the sovereignty of member states and the principles of international law constitutes a dangerous precedent that undermines the foundations of international relations based on good neighborliness, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs,” the OIC said in a statement.
The OIC – the second largest intergovernmental body in the world after the UN, has 57 member states and is often referred to as the “collective voice of the Muslim world”. It was founded in 1969 and its aim is to protect Muslim interests worldwide, headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Muslim World League, an international Islamic non-governmental organization based in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, also strongly condemned Iran’s aggression against neighboring Arab states.
“A flamboyant act of aggression against religious values”
In a statement issued by the League’s General Secretariat, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulkarim Al Issa, the League’s Secretary General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, condemned the attack, calling it a blatant act of aggression against religious values.
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The Kingdom of Morocco also condemned in the strongest possible terms the heinous Iranian missile attack that undermined the integrity and security of the brotherly Arab states.
The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Emigrants emphasizes that the Kingdom of Morocco considers this aggression a flagrant violation of the national sovereignty of these states, an unacceptable violation of their security and a direct threat to the stability of the region.
Rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran?
The reaction of the Arab countries in some way reflects the ongoing strategic rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran. For decades, the two nations have vied for political and security influence in the Middle East – a competition that analysts often characterize as “the new Cold War.”
In a sign of the fragile loosening, the power rivalry is based on religious and political identity — Saudi Arabia represents the predominantly Sunni Muslim world and sees itself as the custodian of Sunni Islam, while Iran is a Shiite Muslim state.
This sectarian division was often invoked by both sides in the regional contest. Diplomatic ties were severed between 2016 and 2023 due to incidents such as the execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr and attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran.
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The continued violation of the sovereignty of member states sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the foundations of international relations.
Both the OIC and the Muslim League, considered the largest Muslim organizations based in Saudi Arabia, condemned Iran’s retaliation on Saturday.
Key things
- The condemnation of the OIC and the Muslim World League emphasizes collective security among Muslim nations.
- Sectarian rivalry between Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shiite-majority Iran continues to influence regional politics.
- Iran’s missile attacks signal a significant escalation of tensions in the Middle East, requiring diplomatic intervention.
