Rifi Accuses Nasrallah of Steering Iranian Project in Region

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi lashed out on Sunday at Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, considering that he is “clearly linked to the Iranian project in the region.”

“He (Nasrallah) is the main reason behind the growing modern terrorism, the growing sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shiites and the one behind terrorism and violence,” Rifi said in comments published in the Saudi newspaper Okaz.

The minister slammed the assault launched by some sides against Saudi Arabia, considering the kingdom the first country to combat terrorism.

Nasrallah said earlier this week that Saudi Arabia must shoulder a bigger responsibility in the fight against the extremist ideology of the Islamic State group.

“Saudi Arabia bares the prime responsibility in the Islamic world for stopping the proliferation of this ideology,” he said in a televised speech.

Rifi told the daily that “the accusations are condemned as Saudi Arabia is a pioneer in spreading moderation in the region.”

He pointed out that Saudi Arabia is a “model in combating terrorism not like Nasrallah baseless accusations.”

In June, the IS declared an "Islamic caliphate" straddling vast swathes of Iraq and Syria, ordering Muslims worldwide to pledge allegiance to their chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The U.S. has formed a coalition of Western and Arab allies to battle Islamic State, which has been accused of widespread atrocities in Iraq and Syria, including mass executions, beheadings, rape, torture and selling women and children into slavery.

On Wednesday, Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri slammed statements that would cause contention with regional countries, calling on Lebanese politicians to avoid stances that harm the national interests.

“I believe that the parties embracing and supporting terrorism have become well-known,” Saudi National Guard Minister Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah also said in an apparent response to Nasrallah's remarks.