RIYADH: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia congratulated moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani on his election as the new president of Iran, the kingdom’s Shia rival across the Gulf.
“We are glad to congratulate you in the name of the people and government of Saudi Arabia... wishing prosperity to the people of the brotherly Islamic republic of Iran,” King Abdullah told Rowhani in a letter carried by the official SPA news agency. It said the king hailed Rowhani’s views on regional cooperation and improving relations.
Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia, a key player in regional politics, was the last Arab state in the Gulf to comment on Rowhani’s win.
The leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman earlier congratulated Rowhani, their respective state news agencies reported. The Sunni-ruled Gulf monarchies are wary of their Shia-dominated neighbour, mainly over its nuclear ambitions. Rowhani is a former top nuclear negotiator who has championed more constructive engagement between Iran and world powers.
Gulf states also accuse Tehran of meddling in their internal affairs, especially over its alleged support for the Shiite-led opposition in Bahrain, where authorities quelled protests in mid-march 2011.AFP
