Saudi Arabia calls emergency Arab League session to discuss Iranian influence
At the instigation of Saudi Arabia, the Arab League will meet in Egypt today to discuss Iranian “violations” after a missile was fired at Riyadh on November 4.
The Sunni-ruled kingdom holds its Shi’ite adversary responsible for the missile, which was launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen. This meeting comes amid other strategic clashes between the regional rivals in Lebanon—where Riyadh is suspected to have forced PM Hariri to resign. The Kingdom has also blamed Iran for causing instability in Bahrain.
The Saudis may use the meeting to demand combined Arab sanctions and travel bans on Iran. However, most pressure may come upon Iranian interests in Lebanon, which has a history of extreme sectarian conflict and maintains a delicate political equilibrium. Placing sanctions on Lebanon’s growing economy in an effort to harm the Iranian-backed Hezbollah would ramp up regional tensions to dangerous levels.
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