Introduction to the evening news 15-10-2011

A clear escalation in the Saudi Arabian - Iranian confrontation upon the U.S. accusations of the Saudi envoy-killing plot, will have anticipated repercussions in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon .

Saudi Arabia formally asked Ban Ki-moon to inform the United Nations Security Council about to plot to kill its ambassador in Washington, stressing that all those involved in “the shameful” attempt must be brought to justice.  

On the other hand, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected the U.S. accusations, pointing out that Iran is not involved and refuse to take any responsibilities in such a “ridiculous” case which aims to politically isolate Iran.

The Saudi Arabian-Gulf states joint diplomatic offensive on Iran was translated into a call for a second Arab foreign Ministers emergency meeting to be held on Sunday in Cairo to discuss the latest event in Syria, at a time where the conclusions of the first meeting held in September remained “ink on papers” although the head of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi conveyed the results and proposals of the meeting to the Syrian regime in Damascus.

In Lebanon everyone is prudently waiting for the Saudi-Iran diplomatic tensions to carry its repercussions on the internal political scene, while important issues that should be discussed in the government are still pending.

The yearly budget which will be discussed next week will eventually step on “the mine” of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s funding, threating not only the budget but the government itself, especially after PM Najib Mikati stances regarding that issue and MP Walid Jumblat expressing his dissatisfaction with his current position with the actual majority waiting for a new turning point. 

The mine fragments will hit the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers demanding wage adjustment who failed last Wednesday to strike for their demands would be backed up by public professors’ strike next Wednesday?