Saudi Minister Accuses Iran of Meddling in Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Wednesday accused Iran of continuing to interfere in neighboring Gulf states, warning that its nuclear program could pose a threat to regional security.

In a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Faisal spoke of "continued Iranian meddling in the internal affairs of the countries of the region."

He also warned that Tehran's "work to develop nuclear capabilities, which would allow it in the future to have nuclear weapons, would represent a clear threat to the security and stability of the region."

Tension escalated between Tehran and Riyadh following an alleged Iranian plot to kill the Saudi envoy to Washington.

Iran, facing four rounds of U.N. Security Council sanctions over its nuclear program, called the U.S. allegations part of an "evil plot" against it and wrote to the U.N. Security Council, accusing Washington of "warmongering."

Relations between the Sunni-ruled Arab states in the Gulf and non-Arab predominantly Shiite Iran were further strained following a crackdown in March on protests in Bahrain that had been led by the tiny kingdom's Shiite majority.