Maajid Says Iran And Saudi Arabia's Proxy War Is Responsible For The Rise Of ISIS And Yazidi Genocide

11 November 2017, 14:07

If you follow the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran you will find it's responsible for most of the Middle East's woes, says Maajid Nawaz.

US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin have agreed to fight ISIS in Syria until it is defeated, the Kremlin says.

It said a statement was prepared by experts after the leaders met briefly on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Vietnam on Saturday.

Maajid Nawaz said, though, that cause of most of the Middle East's woes was the proxy war conducted by Saudi Arabia and Iran tracking its way across the region, including the rise of ISIS and its genocide against Yazidi Christians.

He argued that theatre of the war was shifting from Syria, "having exhausted all the pawns for war there", to Yemen, which was "barrel bombed to oblivion", to Lebanon.

The LBC presenter said: "The proxy war appears to be moving to Lebanon. This Saudi-Iran proxy war in the Middle East between two competing sectarian theocracies is what's pretty much destroying the Middle East.

"It's causing the refugee crisis, causing the potential and near genocide of entire peoples in the region like the Yazidis, causing the rise of fanatical jihadist theocratic violence and terrorism, causing the empowerment and entrenchment of the terrorist group Hezbollah across the region because Iran is backing them.

"The cause of the woes of the Middle East in contemporary times, I believe, can be pinned right down to this Saudi-Iran proxy war."

Watch the full clip at the top of this page.

More Maajid Nawaz

See more More Maajid Nawaz

Maajid Nawaz blasts No10's alleged double standards on Covid rules

Maajid Nawaz blasts No10's alleged double standards on Covid rules

Maajid Nawaz's powerful reaction to 'woke' Christmas ban

Maajid Nawaz's powerful reaction to 'woke' Christmas ban

'Want to stop channel crossings? Stop invading foreign countries'

'Want to stop channel crossings? Stop invading foreign countries'

Maajid Nawaz: 'Tory sleaze the Achilles heel of government'

Maajid Nawaz: 'Tory sleaze the Achilles heel of government'

Exclusive
Whistleblower exposes UN leaks of Chinese dissident information

Whistleblower exposes UN leaks of Chinese dissident information

Maajid Nawaz hits back at Prince Charles' climate-call on the private sector

Maajid Nawaz hits back at Prince Charles' climate call on the private sector

Maajid Nawaz defends Jesy Nelson in 'blackfishing' row

Maajid Nawaz defends Jesy Nelson in 'blackfishing' row

Maajid Nawaz: Vetting voters for MP meetings 'further alienates' Brits

Maajid Nawaz: Vetting voters for MP meetings 'further alienates' Brits

Maajid Nawaz: 'Muslims in Southend-on-Sea know and love Sir David Amess'

Maajid Nawaz: Muslims in Southend-on-Sea know and love Sir David Amess

Iain Dale: Make Southend a city to honour Sir David Amess

Iain Dale: Make Southend a city to honour Sir David Amess

Maajid Nawaz backs calls to grant asylum seekers right to work

Maajid Nawaz backs calls to grant asylum seekers right to work

Chinese invasion of Taiwan will spark 'global conflict', Maajid Nawaz fears

Chinese invasion of Taiwan will spark 'global conflict', Maajid Nawaz fears

Maajid Nawaz: Jab deadline for care home workers will 'trigger' winter 'plan B'

Maajid Nawaz: Jab deadline for care home workers will 'trigger' winter 'plan B'

Maajid Nawaz: Troop deployment shows govt 'has monumentally failed' Britain

Maajid Nawaz: Troop deployment shows govt 'has monumentally failed' Britain

Maajid Nawaz: It's 'wrong' for Remainers to say 'I told you so' about lorry driver shortage

Maajid Nawaz: It's wrong for Remainers to say 'I told you so' about lorry driver shortage

Maajid Nawaz clashes with caller 'pinning' HGV driver shortage on Brexit

Maajid Nawaz clashes with caller 'pinning' HGV driver shortage on Brexit