TEHRAN – A Tehran University professor has said that the U.S. President Donald Trump might be thinking of waging a war against the Islamic Republic through its regional ally Saudi Arabia.

“As long as Trump is in power, Iran will be alarmed,” said Tehran University professor Ahmad Naghibzadeh in an interview with Shargh newspaper. “Because he will be organizing all sorts of conspiracies against Iran.”

“I fear that he might be thinking of waging another war against Iran,” he said, adding that the potential war might be waged through Riyadh and could be similar to the imposed war of Iraq against Iran which was launched by the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in 1980.

Naghibzadeh also said that Saudi Arabia won’t dare to attack Iran by itself. But the Saudis would do so if Washington gives the green light to them, he said.

In early May, Saudi Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman said there is no space for dialogue with the Iran and accused the Islamic republic of trying “to control the Islamic world”.

He claimed that Saudi Arabia is “a main target of Iran… and we are not waiting until there becomes a battle in Saudi Arabia, so we will work so that it becomes a battle for them in Iran and not in Saudi Arabia.” 

On Wednesday morning, the prince was appointed by his father, King Salman, as the new crown prince, a move that could intensify tensions with Iran.

MH/PA