Iran, Saudi alert to 'enemy' plots: Ahmadinejad

Tehran, Mar 4: Iran and Saudi Arabia agree that Muslim nationsshould be alert to efforts by enemies to divide their ranks, PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad said after his first official trip to the kingdom,Iranian media reported today.

President Ahmadinejad met Saudi King Abdullah yesterday afterwhich Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saudi al-Faisal said Sunni Muslimheavyweight Saudi Arabia and predominantly Shi'ite Iran agreed to fightthe spread of sectarian strife.

A Saudi official had said the kingdom would seek Iran's help to prevent tensions in Iraq erupting into full-blown civil war.

''Both Iran and Saudi Arabia are aware of the enemies'conspiracies, and while condemning these conspiracies, we invite allMuslims to be aware of the enemies' plans with wisdom,'' PresidentAhmadinejad was quoted by Iran's ISNA news agency as saying.

Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran are among the most influentialnations of their respective branches of Islam. US-allied Arabgovernments fear Iran is gaining influence in Lebanon, the Palestinianterritories and Iraq.

''About the Palestinian and Iraqi issues, we had discussions indetail. In many cases, we had a common point of view. Both countriesoppose the enemies' control over the Islamic region.'' While SaudiArabia is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, Iran is a fierce opponentof Western influence in the region. It is embroiled in a row over itsnuclear plans that Washington says are aimed at building atomic bombs,a charge Tehran denies.

Asked if talks covered the nuclear issue and the presence of USforces in the Gulf, an issue regularly targeted for criticism byTehran, Ahmadinejad replied: ''We held discussions in all fields. Someissues were examined such as the enemy controlling the region bydifferent ways and causing division. Some common plans have beencarried out to protect the rights of the Islamic nations.'' Iranianofficials, including Iran's top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah AliKhamenei, have been warning Muslims about what they say are efforts bythe United States and its allies to drive a wedge between Sunnis andShi'ites.

Killings by Sunni and Shi'ite death squads in Iraq and thepolitical crisis in Lebanon dividing Sunni and Shi'ite parties have ledto fears of sectarian conflict in the Middle East.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini todaysaid in a news conference that the Islamic Republic was ready to ''dowhatever is necessary to help establishing peace and security in Iraq''.

He said Iran was still considering whether to attend a meeting ofIraq's neighbours in Baghdad in March and April. The gatherings are dueto be attended by US and British officials.

''Direct talks (with US officials) are not on our agenda,'' the spokesman said.

Ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia have often been strained but Ahmadinejad said ties were growing.

''We have really good expanded and developing relations with SaudiArabia. The trip was completely necessary ... so that we get familiarwith each others' opinions through discussions about the currentchanges in the region and Islamic world,'' the president said.

Reuters>