Mamoun Fandy, a senior fellow at the London-based International
Institute for Strategic Studies, which organized the Manama Dialogue, said
Iran was fomenting tension throughout the Gulf, Middle East Newsline reported. Fandy said Iran was also
involved in stirring unrest in Egypt and Iraq.
"Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, Iran's confrontation with the
international community, Palestine and the suffering of the Palestinian
people, the Horn of Africa, and the crisis in Yemen [threaten Gulf
security]," Kuwait Foreign Minister Mohammed Sabah Al Sabah said.
Addressing the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on Dec. 11, Al Sabah cited
growing instability in Iran. He said this could further increase regional
tension.
"People call for rebellion against the regime, challenging the
government and calling for the overthrow of the government in place," Al
Sabah said.
Iran was also said to have topped the agenda of the Gulf
Cooperation Council summit, scheduled to end on Dec. 15 in Kuwait.
"The military training [of the Shi'ite rebels] proves there has been
foreign intervention," Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
said.
A senior Yemeni official agreed. National Security Agency chairman Maj.
Gen. Ali Al Anisi, citing the recent capture of a suspected Iranian weapons
ship, said Teheran has been directing the Shi'ite rebellion in 2009.
"There is intelligence information [to support this]," Al Anisi said.
"There are indeed signs, proof of Iranian interference, but we can't
elaborate on what these indications and their details are to the media."
Al Anisi said the Iranian-backed Believing Youth movement intends to
become another Hizbullah. He said the Believing Youth has been expanding the
Shi'ite rebellion beyond Yemen.
"They [Believing Youth] have a clear agenda, much like that in southern
Lebanon with Hizbullah," Al Anisi said. "The Houthi [Shi'ite] rebels are
seeking to create a belt around our border with Saudi Arabia and establish
themselves as an organization with genuine influence."
