Dunya: No Saudi influence in cutting ties with Iran

Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon has said that there was no influence from Saudi Arabia in the decision to cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

While speculations continue as to whether the Maldives cut it’s diplomatic ties with Iran due to the tensions between Iran and a close ally of Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon said that the Maldives is an independent country and the maintaining and severing of ties of foreign relations is each country’s own “sovereign decision”.

Sun Media asked the Foreign Minister directly if there was any Saudi influence in the decision and the Minister responded that there wasn’t.

Minister Dunya said that the Maldives is aslo a member of Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the country believes that the actions and policies of Iran are creating challenges to the peace in the Arabian Gulf.

She said that Iran meddles with civil issues of other countries and the decision by the Maldives was to take a stand against it.

The Minister said that the latest summit of the OIC called to Iran to shape their actions in s specific way and the Maldives severed it’s diplomatic ties with Iran until those conditions are met.

A statement issued by the government following the severance of diplomatic ties with Iran, said that the Maldives condemns the actions of Iran impeding the peace in the Arabian Gulf while stability in the region is connected to the safety of the Maldives.

Foreign Minister Dunya called to Iran to make an effort and change things and make amendments today.

Tensions rose between Iran and the Saudi Arabia after Iran implemented a death sentence on the Saudi Shia scholar Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr after which the Saudi Embassy in Iran was attacked and the Saudi severed diplomatic ties with Iran on 3 January 2016. And the Saudi supporters Sudan and Bahrain also severed diplomatic ties with Iran.

As tensions continue to rise between the two countries, Iran has decided not to send their citizens on the Hajj Pilgrimage this year.

The Maldives severed diplomatic ties with Iran on 17 May but the new Iranian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Mohammed Zaeri Amirani has presented his credentials to President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, on 24 April and discussed importing refined oil from Iran.