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Saudi Arabia Expands Its Anti-Iran Strategy Beyond the Middle East
(Reuters) Angus McDowall - Under King Salman, Saudi Arabia is expanding its confrontation with Iran to Africa, Asia and Latin America, no longer relying on Western allies to smother Tehran's ambitions outside the Arab world. The Saudis are using Muslim networks to push states into cutting off contacts with Iran, including by creating an Islamic Coalition against terrorism last November. "This new coalition is basically to get worldwide Islamic support for Saudi Arabia to lead the fight against terrorism and take the flag from Iran," said Mustafa Alani, an Iraqi security expert with close ties to the Saudi interior ministry. Some African countries have followed many Arab League states in recent months in cutting diplomatic ties with Iran. In January, Sudan cut off ties with Tehran, followed by Djibouti and Somalia.