Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged Muslims on Tuesday to disrupt what he called a plot by unnamed countries in the region to build ties with Israel. But an Israeli cabinet minister said last month that his government had covert contacts with Saudi Arabia linked to their common concerns over Tehran. ”Some regional Islamic countries have shamelessly revealed their closeness to the Zionist regime (Israel),” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live by state TV. Increased tension between Tehran and Riyadh has fueled speculation that shared interests may push Saudi Arabia and Israel to work together. Regional rivalry between Sunni Muslim monarchy Saudi Arabia and Shi‘ite Iran has overflowed into conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

Source: Egypt Independent December 05, 2017 12:56 UTC