Saudi Arabia tells Egypt to dismiss its foreign minister to end their dispute

Arab diplomatic sources said that Saudi Arabia has told Egypt to dismiss its Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, as a condition to end its dispute with Cairo, Arabi 21 reported.

The sources held Shoukry responsible for escalating tension between the two countries after his meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, claiming that Saudi Wahhabism is the source of terrorism.

The sources have also criticised Shoukry’s leading role in deepening the rift between Riyadh and Cairo by attending the Afro-Arab summit which was boycotted by the Gulf kingdom and seven Arab countries.

Sources say that Egypt has rejected the Saudi demand to dismiss Shoukry saying it is a sovereign matter.

A prominent professor of political science at the University of Cairo, Dr Hassan Nafaa explained that minister Shoukry represents the Egyptian regime and his remarks do not express his own opinion.

Saudi Arabia has pumped nearly $30 billion to support the regime of Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi since his coup against President, Mohamed Morsi. However, Egypt has turned away from Saudi Arabia on several sensitive issues including in Yemen and Syria.

Saudi Arabia had expected Egypt to send ground troops to join the Arab coalition forces fighting in Yemen, but Cairo rejected.