Riyadh Not Qualified to Comment on Iran’s Regional Role: Spokeswoman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham censured the Saudi regime’s remarks against the Islamic Republic, saying that Riyadh, which is bombing the defenseless people of Yemen for months, lacks the competence to talk about Tehran’s role in the region.
In a statement late on Monday, Afkham responded to recent remarks made by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who said it was difficult to envision a role for Iran in Syria peacemaking efforts due to its support for the Syrian government.
“The Saudi foreign minister, whose country has adopted a military, security and extremist approach toward current regional crises and is bombarding Muslim people of its neighboring country relentlessly for over 7 months, is not qualified to comment on Iran’s regional role,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman stated.
Afkham further described Jubeir’ remarks on Syria as "cheap and out of diplomatic norms”, saying that such attitude has plagued some regional countries, including Yemen and Syria, with “organized war and extremism”.
Addressing a joint press conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Saudi foreign minister further said Iran can only play a role in future talks in Syria if it withdraws from the country and stops supporting Damascus.
The remarks came as Yemen's defenseless people have been under massive attacks by a coalition led by the Saudi regime for months.
On March 26, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies, including the UAE, began to launch deadly airstrikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to the fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
More than 5400 people, many of them children and women, have been killed in the Saudi-led aggression against the Arab country so far.
