Iran Seeks a Response to Saudi Policy in Syria

The Sunni-Shia geopolitical struggle is reaching heights never before seen in the modern era. Jan. 23 marked Mawlid, the day each year that the birth of the Prophet Mohammed is celebrated by Sunnis and Shia across the Islamic world. Speaking on the occasion, Iranian Joint Armed Forces Command chief Brig. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi called for the Iranian leadership to formulate a "wise" policy based on a sophisticated understanding of the enemies of Islamic unity. Firouzabadi said Sunnis and Shia now more than ever need to steer clear of sectarianism. And in a rare public statement by an Iranian official on al Qaeda, Firouzabadi said the transnational jihadist network that began with the aim of jihad against those who were engaged in aggression against Muslims has ended up as a tool for the enemies of Islam, who are using it to stage attacks against fellow Muslims in Iraq and Syria.

Firouzabadi in a subtle way is pointing fingers at Saudi Arabia, accusing the Kingdom of using jihadists to undermine Shiite power in the region. His statement highlights the extent to which Iran is concerned about Iraq on its western flank, which, after a decade of being a place for Tehran to project power in the largely Sunni Arab Middle East, appears to be reverting to a security threat.