Shiite MPs decry Iran’s news agency insult to Amir
Court orders halt in historical mosque demolishing
KUWAIT:
Three Shiite MPs on Thursday strongly criticized the insult by Iran’s news agency Fars against the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah while attending the Arab summit. MP Abdullah AlTameemi said Iran should submit an official apology to the Amir, the government and the people of Kuwait as “we will not accept any insult from the agency against” the Amir. Tameemi said that the insult could jeopardize the diplomatic ties between the two neighbors Iran and Kuwait and demanded that Iranian authorities take decisive actions against the agency.
MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah said Iranian authorities should take to account those responsible for the insult in order to preserve the good ties between the two countries. He said he is confident that wise people in the Iranian government hold high esteem for the Amir’s leading role in spreading the principle of peace and security among nations.
MP Ahmad Lari warned that the insult could greatly undermine bilateral relations between the two nations. A large number of MPs have strongly condemned the Iranian insult to the Amir and called for diplomatic action against the Islamic republic including recalling the Kuwaiti ambassador from Tehran.
Separately, a Kuwaiti court ordered the government to halt plans to demolish a 123-years old mosque in Kuwait City and set September 8 to hear the case to nullify the decision to demolish the mosque. The court, acting on an urgent lawsuit presented by lawyer Adel Al-Abdulhadi, said the mosque is historical and that the constitution bans the demolishing of historical sites and accordingly ordered a halt in the process. It said it will begin on September 8 the hearings to rule whether to permanently ban the removal or not. The ruling is not final as it can be challenged by the government.
The decision to demolish Shamlan Al-Roumi mosque, built in 1893, to clear the way for a road construction stirred an online campaign by activists who demanded that measures should be taken to preserve the historical site. A number of MPs threatened to grill the minister of Awqaf and Islamic affairs Yacoub Al-Sane if the mosque was demolished. They also threatened political action.