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Iran and Oman Express Concern over Spread of Terrorism in the Region

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EIRNS—On the sidelines of a trilateral discussion in Muscat between Iran, the U.S., and EU on Iran’s nuclear program,Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Omani counterpart, Yusuf bin Alawi, discussed the growing threats in the region caused by ISIS and other terrorists. Iran’s Fars News Agency (FNA) reported today Zarif and Bin Alawi also called for collective efforts to uproot terrorism in the Middle East. FNA also mentioned Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei slamming the West, particularly the U.S., for creating the Takfiri terrorists, and saying the main objective of ISIS is to create rifts among Muslim sects. "The Takfiri groups are spreading atrocities in the West Asian region in a bid to sow discord among Muslims," Iran’s Supreme Leader said.

While Zarif, Bin Alawi, and even Ayatollah Khamenei did not name Saudi Arabia for its role in the Takfiri groups’ violent activities, FNA cited Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Hassan Rastegarpanah, who is the Deputy Head of the Sustainable Security Department, saying Saudi Arabia with its petrodollars finances Takfiri terrorism in the Middle East in coordination with the spy agencies of Israel and the UK. "Today all the explosions in every part of the region take place with Saudi dollars and management of the intelligence services of Israel and Britain," Rastegarpanah said today. "The phenomenon of Takfirism will divert the path of the Islamic awakening and will portray a violent image of Islam throughout the world," the commander added.

FNA also cited the Iraqi Afaq TV broadcast earlier this year, which showed footage of a group of arrested members of ISIS confessing to their direct links with Saudi Arabia. The emir of ISIS special groups in Karbala and Najaf was among the arrested members. During the confessions, he said he was working for "the Saudi Abu Jassem," a military man who ordered him to carry out several attacks. Iraqi Federal Intelligence and Investigations Directorate in Karbala arrested a large number of terrorists during several recent operations, FNA noted.

Ramtanu Maitra