Iran ‘key reason for war in Yemen

NEW YORK/JEDDAH: Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir has accused Iran of fomenting regional strife by supporting terrorist groups. Responding to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s address at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, the Saudi minister said the Iranian president should be the last person to discuss democracy in Syria. “If it was not for Iran, there would not be the destruction and killing we see today in Syria,” the minister said in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV. He said that Iran supports Bashar Assad by sending thousands of militants into the country and fueling sectarianism between Sunnis and Shiites. Responding to Rouhani’s comment that Iran was willing to contribute to a political solution in Yemen, Al-Jubeir said Iran was one of the main reasons behind the war in Yemen. He said Iran was smuggling weapons to the Houthis in violation of UN Resolution 2216. “Their last attempt was on Saturday when an Iranian ship loaded with weapons was intercepted,” he was quoted as saying. Referring to Rouhani’s comments on the Mina stampede, Al-Jubeir said: “We have previously said that it is unacceptable to use such human tragedy politically, which happened while people were performing a religious ritual.” He added:“The Iranians should be the last to speak about the Haj and pilgrims because they have caused chaos multiple times in the past. Their protests in the 80s resulted in a number of deaths,” he said. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, spokesman of the coalition forces, has rejected reports that the Saudi-led soldiers were responsible for an attack on a wedding party in Yemen on Sunday that claimed the lives of 27 people. Maj. Gen Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the Interior Ministry, said that Ali bin Fahad Abu Mahasin, one of the members of the Mujahideen Management Branch in Jazan, had been killed during shelling from the Yemeni side of the border on Monday. He also denied reports that Houthi militants had captured a soldier, Talal Hazazi, on the Saudi-Yemeni border. He said the soldier had evaded capture for 14 days. -arabnews