Iran’s FM Zarif’:

Riyadh Engaged in ‘Wars of Aggression’, ‘Regional Bullying

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized Riyadh’s ongoing military campaign against Yemen, saying that the Saudi regime is engaged in “wars of aggression” and “regional bullying”.

News ID: 66892

Date: 07 November 2017 - 10:06

"KSA is engaged in wars of aggression, regional bullying, destabilizing behavior & risky provocations. It blames Iran for the consequences,” Zarif said in a message posted on his Twitter account on Monday.

"KSA bombs Yemen to smithereens, killing 1000’s of innocents including babies, spreads cholera and famine, but of course blames Iran,” he added in a follow-up message.

In another tweet, Zarif noted that a recent visit by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, to Saudi Arabia led to the recent resignation of Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who accused Iran of interference in Lebanon’s affairs.

"Visits by Kushner & Lebanese PM led to Hariri's bizarre resignation while abroad. Of course, Iran is accused of interference.”

Kushner made an unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia last week, his third trip to the country this year.

Hariri resigned on Saturday, saying in a televised broadcast he sensed a plot to target his life.

His resignation statement was made and broadcast from the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The Iranian minister also countercharged Saudi Arabia of interfering in domestic affairs of Arab countries, an accusation that Saudi Arabia has leveled against Iran on many occasions, noting that the repression of dissidents in Bahrain by the Al Khalifa regime took place following a visit to Riyadh by Trump.

"Visits to the belligerent KSA have proved hazardous to regional health. Trump visit led to Bahrain repression followed by Qatar debacle,” Zarif tweeted.

Manama has been cracking down on dissent since February 2011, when an uprising began against the regime. Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of Al Khalifah regime’s harsh crackdown on anti-regime activists.

Saudi-led severing of diplomatic ties with Qatar was also the first fallout from President Donald Trump's visit to the region back in May.