TEHRAN - Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has said Saudi Arabia has turned into “a cause of division” in the Islamic world, ISNA reported on Friday.

The remarks are a clear reference to the inclusion of four anti-Iran and -Hezbollah articles in the final declaration of the 13th Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit held April 14-15 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Saudi-backed articles in the document, so has been revealed, condemn Iran and Hezbollah for backing what it calls terrorism as well as blaming Iran for the attacks on Saudi diplomatic posts in Tehran and Mashhad in public mobs.

Divisive voices from the Islamic summit are in direct contradiction to the summit’s focus on unity and solidarity among Islamic nations.

“The language of the final draft resolution in the 13th Organization of Islamic Cooperation is invalid and illogical and in doing so, Saudi Arabia has gone much beyond meddling in domestic affairs of Islamic countries and this is against all international regulations,” Boroujerdi was quoted as saying.

According to Abbas Araqchi, deputy foreign minister, the draft declaration was prepared during an expert-level meeting of the organization in the Saudi port city of Jeddah in February, 2015, in which Iranian officials could not attend as they were denied visas by Riyadh.

Boroujerdi called condemnation of Iran in the OIC document a distractor which was aimed at diverting public opinion from Saudis’ meddling in Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria. “Saudis’ inhuman behavior is akin to the Zionist regime's brutal character that slaughters defenseless people of Gaza and Palestine.” 

The MP pitied the OIC basing their decision-making upon the draft, which is a blemish in the organization’s prestige.

Other senior Iranian officials including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his deputy Abbas Araqchi have condemned the Saudis’ move, calling it destructive.

Also, President Rouhani and Zarif refused to attend the final session of the summit as a sign of objection.

AK/PA