Parliament Speaker Blasts Saudi Arabia's Anti-Iran Allegations

Rasa - Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani blasted the war rhetoric by Saudi officials against Iran, and said that the Riyadh government is acting at the order of the arrogant powers.

News ID: 429536

Date: 09 May 2017 - 19:47

RNA - "The recent allegations by Saudi officials are not even worth replying," Larijani said, addressing the Iranian parliament's open session on Tuesday.

The Iranian parliament speaker underlined that arrogant powers are trying to cause trouble and create problems in the region.

"Some countries in the region are providing arrogant powers with leverage to go on with their adventurism," Larijani added.

The Iranian parliament speaker's remarks came in reaction to Saudi defense minister's allegations who ruled out ties with Iran after Tehran announced the possibility of de-escalation of tensions if Riyadh halts its war against Yemen.

The Saudi deputy crown prince said that any battle between Riyadh and Tehran would take place on Iran's soil.

"We will work to have the battle in Iran rather than in Saudi Arabia," Prince Mohammed added.

The remarks were made after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Islamic Republic was ready to normalize ties with Riyadh if the Kingdom halted its bombardment of Yemen and stopped supporting extremist groups.

He referred to the Saudi bombing campaign on Yemen -- in which over 12,000 people have died -- and said the Saudis think they can do anything because they have an air force.

Mohammed bin Salman, who serves as Riyadh’s defense minister and is second in line to the throne, claimed that his country is a primary target for Iran and charged that Iran sought to control of the Islamic world. “We won’t wait for the battle to be in Saudi Arabia,” Prince Mohammed said, “instead, we’ll work so that the battle is for them in Iran.”

After his remarks, Iran's UN Ambassador Gholam Ali Khoshrou urged the global community to take action against Saudi Arabia’s support for terrorism and extremism.

"It is imperative for the international community to take necessary action to compel Saudi Arabia to stop its reckless sponsorship of terrorism and extremism in the region and across the globe," Khoshrou wrote in a Thursday letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council.

The Iranian diplomat expressed Tehran’s preparedness to hold dialogue with Saudi Arabia to promote regional peace despite "unlawful and inflammatory" remarks by bin Salman against Iran.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri lashed out at the Saudi defense minister for his comments against Iran, stressing that Riyadh is acting as the US and Zionists' mercenary to take hostile measures against the Islamic states.

"The lies uttered by certain Saudi officials against Iran and the independent regional states are nothing new. Unfortunately, the Saudi regime is carrying out hostile acts against certain the Islamic states in the region for the sake of the US and the Zionists," Jazzayeri said.

He referred to Saudi Arabia's destructive war in Yemen, its pressures on the Bahraini people and its support for the terrorists in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, and said all these events show that the Zionists (who influence Riyadh) want the region to further be entangled in clashes.

Jazzayeri, meantime, underscored Iran's preparedness and vigilance to confront any plot by Saudi Arabia and the US and Zionists for conducting terrorist acts in Iran.

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