Special to WorldTribune.com

Saudi Arabia will not hesitate to confront Iran’s “trouble-making” in the region, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said.

At a news conference in Amman, Jordan on July 9, Jubeir said the Saudis were “determined that Iran should not have a negative intervention in the region or in Arab countries.”

Jubeir said Riyadh is combating Teheran’s relentless push to expand its influence by leading a coalition to defeat Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and restore President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

“The work we are doing to confront Iran’s influence has achieved successes in several countries and we see the presence of Iran has shrunk in some areas in Africa and Yemen,” Jubeir said.

The Saudis are also a main supporter of the insurgency in Syria against President Bashar Assad, a top Iran ally.

The regional rivalry between Shi’ite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia is also seen in Iraq, where Jubeir called for Baghdad’s Shi’ite-led government to step up reforms, give Sunnis more say in running the country, and end Iran’s “hegemony.”

Riyadh has also voiced its concerns over what is seen at U.S. President Barack Obama’s concessions to Iran in nuclear negotiations, suggesting that its strongest ally may no longer help restrain the Iranians.

Meanwhile, in Yemen, the United Nations announced a six-day humanitarian pause in the war beginning on July 10.

A Saudi official believes the pause will be “useless,” saying the Houthis and their allies have shown no readiness to abide by it.

“I believe the coalition has not received … any evidence of commitment of the other party,” said the official.

The UN said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received assurances that both sides will respect the pause.

  Adel al-Jubeir, Saudis claims successes against Iran’s ‘trouble-making’ in Middle East, Saudis determined to take on Iran’s ‘trouble-making’ in Middle East, Shi’ites, Sunnis, WorldTribune.com