Isolate Iran, Trump to ‘nations of conscience’

• US president accuses Iran of fueling ‘fires of sectarian conflict, terror, destruction’
• ‘Middle Eastern nations must do their fair share, not expect US to crush enemy for them’
• ‘This is a battle between criminals and decent people. This is a battle between good and evil’
• ‘A better future is only possible if your nations drive out terrorists, extremists’
• King Salman says united to fight forces of evil, extremism wherever they are

US President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for supporting and aiding ‘unspeakable crimes’ in Syria under its leader Bashar al-Assad during his speech here in Saudi Arabia on combating violent extremism, but the American leader did not mention Syria’s alliance with Russia to carry out air strikes.

“Until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace, all nations of conscience must work together to isolate Iran, deny it funding for terrorism, cannot do it, and pray for the day when the Iranian people have the just and righteous government they so richly deserve,” he said in his address to the Arab Islamic American Summit here.

About forging peace, Trump argued that Iran had provided Syria with safe harbour, financial backing and the social standing needed for recruitment [of terrorists].” From Lebanon to Iraq and Yemen, Iran funds, arms and trains terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region, he said.

For decades, “Iran has fuelled the fires of sectarian conflict and terror; it’s a government that speaks openly of mass murder, vowing the destruction of Israel, death to America, and ruin for many leaders and nations in this very room,” he said. “Among Iran’s most tragic and destabilising interventions, you’ve seen it in Syria,” he said.

“Bolstered by Iran, [Bashar al] Assad has committed unspeakable crimes, and the United States has taken firm action in response to the use of banned chemical weapons by the Assad regime, launching 59 missiles at the Syrian air base from where that murderous attack originated,” he said.

He said that the people of Iran have endured hardship and despair under their leader’s reckless pursuit of conflict and terror. The president vowed that he wanted to start a process for peace in the Middle East, but urged nations to drive out terrorists from ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah.

He said that Middle Eastern nations must do their fair share and not expect the US to crush the enemy for them. Trump did also not mention Yemen in his speech. Saying he came with a message of friendship and hope and love, Trump told Muslim leaders that the time had come for honestly confronting the crisis of religious extremism.

“This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil.” The speech came on the second day of a visit to Saudi Arabia, part of Trump’s first foreign tour that will take him next to Israel and the Palestinian territories and then to Europe.

KING SALMAN BIN ABDUL AZIZ

The White House has sought to draw a clear distinction during the visit with Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, who Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies saw as lecturing and soft on Iran. Introducing Trump, Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz called Iran the spearhead of global terrorism.

He said that Iran’s ruling powers represent the tip of the spear of global terrorism. “Our responsibility before Almighty Allah and our people and the whole world is to stand united to fight the forces of evil and extremism wherever they are,” he said. “We will never be lenient in trying anyone who finances terrorism, in any way or means, to the full force of the law,” he said.

Some 35 heads of state and the government from Muslim-majority countries including Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif were in Riyadh for the Arab Islamic American Summit. Much of the focus during the summit was on countering what Gulf states see as the threat from Iran.

PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF

On Sunday, President Trump held a series of meetings with other Arab leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain. The meeting with President Sisi — an avowed fan of the president — was especially warm and Trump said he would absolutely be putting Egypt on his list of countries to visit very soon.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif – who arrived in Saudi Arabia for a three-day visit – also participated in the summit, as King Salman invited him for this gathering. Upon arrival at the King Salman Airbase, the prime minister was received by Riaydh Governor Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and senior officials.

Prime Minister Nawaz is accompanied by his Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and First Lady Begum Kulsoom Nawaz along with other senior officials. Pakistan is one of the closest allies of the Saudi kingdom, as the government granted special permission to former army chief General Raheel Sharif to lead the multinational military force being created by the Saudis.