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Arabs must unite to confront a nuclear Iran, Saudi FM says
By The Associated Press
Tags: Arab League, Israel News 

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat urged Arabs on Tuesday to stand up to Persian Iran's ambitions in the region, including its nuclear program.

Prince Saud al-Faisal told a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo that non-Arab countries should not interfere in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

Saud stressed that resolution of disputes among Arabs depended on a unified and a joint vision in dealing with the Iranian challenge in regard to the Arabian Gulf security and the nuclear issue.
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The predominantly Sunni Arab Middle East has been wary of the growing influence of Shiite Iran and Saud's comments were a clear call for Arab unity.

His remarks came a day after he and his Arab counterparts expressed their concerns about Iran to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The ministers and Clinton met on the sidelines of an international conference in Egypt on Monday that raised $5.2 billion in pledges to rebuild the devastated Gaza Strip.

Last week, Clinton announced the appointment of veteran diplomat Dennis Ross to be her special adviser on matters related to the Gulf, including overtures to the Iranians.

Arabs fear that the Obama administration's expected efforts to engage Tehran might lead to a deal that would bring U.S. and Iran closer at the expense of Arab interests.

But Clinton assured the Arab ministers that Washington is carefully considering its moves and will consult fully with Gulf allies on Iran issues.

At the meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, Bahrain asked the ministers to put Iran on the agenda of the Arab League meeting, amid growing concerns in the tiny Gulf kingdom that Iran still holds longtime claims to the island.

Those concerns were sparked by recent comments by a prominent Iranian cleric who was quoted by Iranian media as saying Bahrain was the 14th province of Iran until 1970. Bahrain is ruled by a Sunni elite but its Shiite majority has close ties to Iran.

Also Tuesday in Cairo, Saud and his Egyptian counterpart met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem in efforts to bridge the rift between the two U.S.-allied Arab powerhouses and the Iran-backed Syria.
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  1.   Now he`s talking 18:20  |  Yonatan 03/03/09
  2.   do your part then saudi arabia 20:25  |  rob 03/03/09
  3.   The world is starting to wake up but 20:27  |  An American 03/03/09
  4.   Arab Regimes Playing with Fire 20:28  |  Dovy 03/03/09
  5.   Why not unite against nuclear Israel? 20:30  |  Sammy from Jordan 03/03/09
  6.   moderate arab regimes? 20:33  |  Rabbi Ashkenazi 03/03/09
  7.   sammy from jordan:because they smoke heroin before they come 21:18  |  hani 03/03/09
  8.   #4 Dovy . 21:23  |  H 03/03/09
  9.   #8H any source to back your statement 22:40  |  Ari 03/03/09
  10.   4dovy. Arab regimes & people, maybe, are realizing... 22:43  |  bat yam 03/03/09
  11.   Iran Could Not do In Eight Years What US Did in 30 23:01  |  Baruch Gold 03/03/09
  12.   Arabs and Iran 23:08  |  Ridha 03/03/09
  13.   To #8 23:10  |  Dovy 03/03/09
  14.   Why Hasn`t Saudi Warned Against Israel`s Nukes in the 1960`s? 23:24  |  Monitor 03/03/09
  15.   The Gulf Minus Saudi, Has no Problem with Nuclear Iran! 23:26  |  Monitor 03/03/09
  16.   SAMMY#1, ARAB LEADERS BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DON`T... 00:52  |  MOSHEH 04/03/09
  17.   Ridha: Sunnia and Shia 01:56  |  Oleg 04/03/09
  18.   Has any one thought that there 02:06  |  Ghandi 04/03/09
  19.   To Ridha 02:10  |  Feride 04/03/09
  20.   If Only The Arabs Knew How The Proud Persians Despise Their Race 03:56  |  Lavi 04/03/09
  21.   Why not Saudi build nukes too like others in the region? 04:01  |  Ali 04/03/09
  22.   "in regard to the Arabian Gulf " ? 08:46  |  Ali 04/03/09
  23.   To #10 16:57  |  Dovy 04/03/09
  24.   Lavi in Seattle 19:55  |  Persian Kitty 04/03/09
  25.   {Arab}ian Gulf!!!!! 09:39  |  Persi man 09/03/09
  26.   They dont threaten to blow Iran off the map 22:29  |  Randy 09/03/09
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