New combat needed against Saudi Arabia in legal fronts

Saudi Arabia’s militarism which led to initiation of war in Yemen and its heavy support for terrorism has given the kingdom a false sense of power ensuing it to provoke Iranophobia in the region encouraged by some of the regional and extra-regional countries.

Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the Saudi rulers have been busy exercising anti-Iran policies, so their hostility towards Tehran comes as nothing new. Formation of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council which stressed the need for “collective security” of the Persian Gulf southern littoral countries vis-à-vis Iran, the strong support for Iraq all through eight years of war, increase in cooperation with the US in political, military and economic areas, attempts to attract more sanctions against Iran by the United Nations Security Council, formation of new fronts to confront the pro-Iran alliance in Lebanon as well as the resistance forces, sabotage in process of nuclear talks between Iran and the 5+1, organizing terrorist and anarchist cells in Syria to attack Iran’s interests there are only parts of plots hatched by Saudi Arabia against Iran.

During the past one year, in particular, the war-mongering and adventurist foreign policy makers in the Saudi kingdom added a number of new items to the list of their hostilities towards Iran like refraining from standing accountable for Mina catastrophe and barring Iranians from the annual Hajj rituals.

However, in an attempt to safeguard security and stability of the region and uphold the interests of the Islamic world, Iran has maintained calm and tried not to fan the flame of tensions with Saudi Arabia by adopting a policy of “patience and self-restrain”.

But, the fact that the Saudi rulers keep with their ever-increasing hostility towards Iran, especially, maintain their indifference towards massacre of a huge number of pilgrims from all over the world during the latest Hajj gives momentum to the need for more rigid actions against the terrorist-loving government of Saudi Arabia.

Under the present conditions in the region, military ways will certainly add to complexity of situation by opening doors for extra-regional powers so the best warfront the Iranian diplomatic apparatus could easily combat and defeat the Saudi rulers is the field of law where it can make Saudis stand accountable for their deed.

In December 9, 1991, the then United Nations Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar announced the Bathist regime of Saddam Hussein as the initiator of war against Iran and said the aggression was a clear violations of international laws and ethical principles.

Naturally enough, that would be no harder a task now to get the main supporter of Saddam regime condemned by all worldwide. This, only needs political lobbying and legal expert work in international circles.

Moreover, the presence of Saudi officials in the annual meeting of the terrorist group of Mujahedeen Khalq Organization (MKO) who have killed over 17,000 Iranians as well as 25,000 Iraqi people through their terrorist operation and then inviting it ringleader to its Hajj ritual as a guest of honor could be used by Iran as a solid document against Saudi Arabia which contrasts many UN rules urging countries not to render support to terrorist groups and condemn the kingdom’s rulers.

From the legal point of view, and based on international law and human rights documents, the Saudi performance during the Mina tragedy especially the positions taken by its government in aftermath of the event is under question.

The international law and numerous international conventions hold host governments responsible for safety and security of people living within their territories. So now, Saudi Arabia has to stand accountable and admit responsibility towards the pilgrims which arrive in the country for Hajj rituals.

Moreover, the government within whose territory a foreign national has been mistreated or faced violation of their rights, have been demanded to inform their respective governments of the details of the incident. Therefore, every country has the right to file lawsuits with the International Court of Justice against any other country which has violated the rights of its citizens even in the slightest form.

Now, taken the fact into consideration that the Saudi Arabian has never been punished for those hostile acts against Iran which stand in clear violation of International regulations, it is high time for the Iranian diplomatic bodies to go to the Hague and open lawsuits against the Saudi rulers for every single case of their non-diplomatic actions against Iran.

Iran has to frankly follow up the assignment of an impartial fact-finding committee to zealously explore the causes of Mina tragedy and identify those responsible for it.

Tehran has to embark on legal combat against the Saudis and work to get them condemned by the world and then seek compensations for the damage it has suffered because of long record of Saudi hostility.

By: Mohammad Mehdi Mazaheri
Translated by: Vahide Dindari
Edited by: Javad Baqaeenejad