Talks on Yemeni crisis urgedRIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers have strongly condemned Iran, accusing it of trying to promote sectarian divisions in Bahrain. The statement comes after an emergency meeting of the GCC foreign ministers here Sunday. Members discussed the tense situation in Bahrain. The also discussed an alleged Iranian spy network in Kuwait. Bahrain's news agency says the Gulf bloc expressed its deep concern “over the continuing Iranian intervention in the internal matters of GCC countries by conspiring against their national security.” The meeting also urged Yemen's government and opposition to sit down for talks in a bid to overcome more than two months of deadly violence. “The Gulf Cooperation Council calls onto all parties in Yemen to return to national dialogue,” GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani said. Earlier, Al-Zayani, condemned “Iran's meddling in the internal affairs of GCC countries”, saying it “threatened security and stability in the region”. The Iranian parliament's foreign affairs and national security committee had said on Thursday that “Saudi Arabia should know it's better not to play with fire in the sensitive region of the Gulf.” Riyadh Sunday slammed what it described as an “irresponsible” statement containing “void allegations and blatant offense against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” The Iranian statement “fuels sectarianism,” the Shoura Council said, according to a Saudi Press Agency report. On Friday, Riyadh slammed Tehran for “fueling confessional tensions (in the region) and failing to respect the norms of good neighborliness as in the case of Kuwait where a spy cell has been uncovered.” Kuwait said Thursday it was to expel an unspecified number of Iranian diplomats for alleged links to a spy ring working for Tehran, reportedly ever since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. A Kuwaiti court passed a death sentence on three members of the alleged ring, to which Tehran denied any links. The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, said his Kuwaiti counterpart was to brief Sunday's meeting on the details of the alleged Iranian spy ring. “Any action (against Iran) must be taken in a collective manner and after a thorough study, and must take into consideration the security and stability of the GCC,” Sheikh Abdullah told Kuwaiti daily Al-Qabas. Meanwhile, Sheikh Hammad Al-Jabir Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Ambassador of Kuwait, lauded the Kingdom's support for all measures taken by his government toward the Iranian spying network. In a statement issued by the embassy Sunday, the ambassador expressed deep thanks and gratitude to the Saudi government for its stand, “which indicates the strength of bilateral relations and continued Saudi support for the State of Kuwait.” Sheikh Hammad Al-Sabah underlined that the security and stability of the Kuwait is part and parcel of Saudi Arabia's security and stability, pointing to the common destiny and history of the GCC member states. A report from Manama says the Bahraini Cabinet meeting Saturday lauded the honorable stance of Saudi Arabia in support of Bahrain against attempts to meddle in its domestic affairs and destabilize its security and stability.
