Special Dispatch | No. 2795 | February 7, 2010Iran/Saudi Arabia/Inter-Arab Relations | |
Saudi Cleric Walid Al-Rashoudi: Iran Is a 'Paper Tiger'; 'The Shia Only Work with Blood' |
In a recent interview on the Saudi Iqra TV, aired in two parts on January 8 and 14, 2010, Sheikh Walid Othman Al-Rashoudi, head of Islamic Studies at the Riyadh Teachers' College, warned about Iranian influence in the Gulf States. He also said that "the American-Iranian alliance is one of the strongest alliances in the world" and that "the Iranian regime, which curses Israel, is the number one collaborator with Israel."
To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2369.htm.
"The American-Iranian Alliance Is One of the Strongest Alliances in the World"
Walid Othman Al-Rashoudi: "We would like to draw the viewers' attention to the attempt to hijack the Arabian Peninsula – Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, and Yemen – and to incorporate them in the false Persian state, desired by Khomeini's Safavid Persian followers.
[...]
"It may come as a surprise – if not to you, to your viewers – that the American-Iranian alliance is one of the strongest alliances in the world. It is one of the strongest alliances in the world. Did this sink in, or is it too much of a shock?"
Interviewer: "I got it, but on the face of it, things look different."
Walid Othman Al-Rashoudi: "That's why I'd like to explain..."
Interviewer: "Will you give me some time for it to sink in?"
Walid Othman Al-Rashoudi: "I will.
[...]
"Take, for example, the case of the hostages in Tehran. Iran turned into such a 'great' power just because it took hostages in the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Right? It ended up in nothing. The hostages were released on the day of Reagan's inauguration.
"The U.S. embassy in Iran has never been locked down, despite America's claims of multiple threats and its fear of Iran. Never have we heard that the U.S. embassy in Iran closed its gates. Even in the days of the election riots, the U.S. embassy was not closed. Even during the Gaza affair, when U.S. embassies were kicked out of many Arab capitals, the U.S. embassy in Iran was not closed.
"Why did the U.S. close its embassy in Yemen five days ago as a precaution – and in order to destabilize the security of Yemen – and issue a warning to its citizens? How come they never issued a warning to U.S. citizens about Iran? It is because of the American-Iranian alliance.
"Didn't Iran claim the credit for the toppling of the Saddam regime? Didn't Iran declare that it served as a bridge used by the U.S. to topple the so-called Taliban state? This is how Rice's idea of forming a Greater Middle East came into existence – a Middle East that includes Iran, Afghanistan, and so on. This way, the Persians' prey would be great, and they could control the resources of the Arab nation, and try to destroy it.
[...]
"When the religious party gained hegemony in America, it was led to believe that the resurrection of Christ would not take place unless Greater Israel was established, and the Greater Israel could only be established through the establishment of the Persian state. These two states have become interconnected – like two links in a chain pulling in opposite direction." [...]
There Is a Direct Connection Between the Houthi Rebels in Yemen and the U.S.
"Iran gives the Houthis money and supplies them with weapons via boats. Iran helps them by means of drug trafficking, and you heard that Yemen sentenced several Iranian drug smugglers to death. Even Saudi Arabia was not spared the smuggling of Iranian drugs.
[...]
"After the Iraqi regime was toppled, there was no need for U.S. forces to remain in the region. The U.S. felt it had no choice but to withdraw, so it raised the issue of the Iranian nuclear dossier.
[...]
"How come Israel did not use negotiations and confidence-building measures with regard to the Iraqi nuclear plant, while today, with regard to the Iranian nuclear plant, it uses confidence-building measures and adheres to UN resolutions?"
Interviewer: "Let me ask the following question: Is there a direct connection between the Houthis and the U.S.?"
Walid Othman Al-Rashoudi: "Undoubtedly. I told you this right from the start."
Interviewer: "With the Houthis, not with Iran?"
Walid Othman Al-Rashoudi: "Yes, the Houthis. The U.S. consul in Yemen used to buy weapons, under the pretext of demilitarizing the region, but later, the same weapons were found with the Houthis. He bought $100 million worth of weapons from the tribes." [...]
"The Iranian Regime... Is the Number One Collaborator with Israel"
"[Ahmadinejad] serves his cause, and acts for the sake of his nation and for the benefit of his country. This man is a very gifted orator, and he manages to persuade the masses better than most people do. But since we want justice to be served, I must say that the man is a very gifted liar, a master of deception, who distorts the facts.
[...]
"He said that if Saudi Arabia had directed the weapons it used against the Houthis towards Israel during the Gaza war, it would have annihilated the Zionist entity. We direct this great falsehood back to Ahmadinejad: What bombs, bullets, or even stones did you use against the Jews in the Gaza war? Moreover, where are the riyals and dollars that you sent to Gaza?
[...]
"Ahmadinejad curses Israel, but let me tell you something you don't know – he uses an Israeli-made car to protect himself. He bought this car at an exhibition in China, and it is one of 20,000 such cars around the world.
[...]
"The Iranian regime, which curses Israel, is the number one collaborator with Israel. The greatest economic exchange in 2008-2009 was the pistachio deal. Did you know that Iran sold Israel $20 million worth of pistachios? The competitor of the Iranian pistachio is the American pistachio. So the U.S. got mad. This is all about interests. Israel is not afraid of Iran any more than it is afraid that I would pelt it with a stone." [...]
"Iran Is Defeated by Its Own Greatness" and "Is Crumbling from Within"
"Iran is defeated by its own greatness. It is crumbling from within. The opposition to Ahmadinejad's government is still active, day and night. Their slogan is: 'Reform is impossible without blood.' This is the faith of the Shia. They only work with blood.
"The Iranian regime is merely a cat that pretends to be a lion. If the Arabs had known the truth about this paper tiger, they would have realized it is ridiculous and that it would collapse in no time."
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