DAMMAM — The hostile Iranian media has described the Kingdom's project to develop Al-Mosouwarah district in the Eastern Province city of Qatif as a move to destroy Awamiyah. The project aims to remove the hideouts of terrorists, arm traders, drug traffickers and other troublemakers. Although Awamiyah project is one of the several development schemes being implemented by Dammam municipality, the Iranian media wants to politicize the issue after the government in Tehran has used abandoned buildings in Al-Mosouwarah to shelter terrorists and spies for several years. The government carried out the project after paying compensation to property owners. The Iranians not only attacked the municipality's demolition equipment but also the contracting company's employees. As a result of this media provocation some people in Awamiyah tried to prevent the implementation of the project by opening fire. The people of Qatif, meanwhile, welcomed the government's move to develop Al-Mosouwarah and denounced Iranian provocations. A Saudi woman from Qatif, who was surprised to receive a call from the Lebanese TV Channel "Nabaa" lambasted the channel's move to provoke people against the project. She said terrorists were obstructing development of the region, adding that the project included construction of markets, shops, sports facilities, cultural centers and multipurpose halls. Dammam municipality said it will continue demolition work despite the Iranian move to provoke people of Awamiyah. "The project aims at making Awamiyah a modern city coping with other cities in the Eastern Province," a municipality official told Al-Hayat Arabic daily. Brig. Gen. Hassan Al-Shahri, an expert in military and strategic affairs, said the municipality decided to carry out the new project at the request of Al-Mosouwarah residents. He described Iranian media's interference in the Kingdom's affairs as media terrorism. Dr. Ahmed Al-Shahri, an expert in political and strategic affairs, said a number of development projects have been carried out in Qatif. So far three people — a Saudi child, an Indian worker and a Pakistani expatriate — have been killed in Qatif since the start of the project.
