Arab leaders voice alarm at UN over Iran tensionsIraq's President Barham Saleh, who is warning of risks to his country, inspects an honor guard as he welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron (left) on September 2, 2020UNITED NATIONS (UNITED STATES) - Arab leaders voiced fears Wednesday before the United Nations of new conflict in the region as tensions soar between Iran and the United States. Two days after US President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on Iran in a widely contested move, leaders of Iraq and Saudi Arabia voiced concerns about the region. "We do not want Iraq to become a sort of playground for other forces that will kill each other on our territory," Iraqi President Barham Saleh said in his address. Iraq has attempted a delicate balancing act between neighboring Iran, which shares the Shiite faith of the majority in its Arab neighbor, and the United States, which invaded and toppled dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. - Saudis criticize Iran -Trump has vowed to squeeze Iran, imposing sweeping economic sanctions and leaving a 2015 nuclear accord that was negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama.

Source: Bangkok Post September 23, 2020 17:37 UTC