Saudi Gazette report

Davos — Sectarianism is one of the main challenges facing the region, Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir said at a special session on “Finding a new equilibrium in the Middle East” here on Wednesday.

“Iran launched a sectarian project that led to extremism after the Khomeini revolution and then sought to export it across the region. This is what led them to interfere in internal affairs of our countries,” he said.

On the changes taking place in Saudi Arabia, the foreign minister said, “World is not used to us moving quickly, certainly not boldly. In the past, they criticized us for moving too slowly and now many of their heads are spinning.”

Our country cannot move forward if we avail of the capabilities of only 50% of the population. We have to be inclusive of everybody, and it is part of our Vision 2030, he added.

Addressing the session Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa said that Tehran is hesitant to use the name “Iran” because of the mistrust that came after 1979.

Iran needs to change its behavior and be part of international coalition in protecting the region, he said.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said: “We have won the war on terrorism and now need to shift into a war against extremism.”

He said the people in Iran are sending clear message to their government that they should spend billions on creating opportunities at home not on Hezbollah or on war in Syria.

Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Mehmet Simsek said unemployment was a major challenge in the region.

The session was moderated by New York Times’ Foreign Affairs Columnist Thomas L. Friedman.