Iran's Foreign Ministry Calls Arab Coalition Spokesman's Remarks 'Ridiculous'

The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry described the statements made by Ahmed al-Assiri, the spokesperson for the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, against the Islamic Republic as 'ridiculous' and stated that the root of terrorism in the region lies in 'developed extremist ideologies' in Saudi Arabia. According to the state news agency IRNA, Bahram Qasemi on Tuesday, April 8, identified the 'real danger' in the region as 'Takfiri terrorism and its regional and international supporters,' which, according to him, have committed the most horrific crimes in the region under the guise of fighting terrorism. He announced that Iran has made 'comprehensive efforts' to 'create convergence and collective movement towards establishing stability in the region,' but the 'repeated mismanagement' of Saudi Arabia 'in relying on the U.S. government' has been a factor in 'destabilizing the region.' Mr. Qasemi concluded his remarks by stating that 'the root of terrorism in the region is the developed extremist ideologies in Saudi Arabia, which have today become a scourge for the people of the region and the world in the form of various terrorist-Takfiri groups.' The spokesperson for the Arab coalition recently announced that U.S. officials have promised to strengthen military and intelligence cooperation with Riyadh against Iran and the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen. Ahmed al-Assiri stated that his country is countering 'Iran's bad behavior' in the region. Iran's relations with several Arab countries in the Persian Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, have soured following conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Iran supports the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, while Saudi Arabia is one of the main supporters of a group of rebels in that country. In Yemen, the situation is reversed, as a coalition led by Riyadh has conducted airstrikes against Houthi rebels to restore power to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, while Iranian officials have supported the Houthi rebels and have repeatedly been accused of 'sending weapons' to them. Reuters reported on Tuesday, April 1, citing Western and regional sources, that Iran has increased its support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen's civil war, sending advanced weapons and military advisors. In March 2015, the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered the war in Yemen to support Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and prevent the advance of Houthi Shiite militants. The United Nations reported last week that the civil war in Yemen has put 60% of Yemenis, about 16 million people, in a 'critical and emergency' situation due to the need for food. Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in the winter of 2015 following attacks on its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad. Iranian officials have recently engaged in talks with Kuwait and Oman; discussions that took place after the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister's visit to Tehran and the exchange of some messages between the parties. The Iranian Foreign Ministry also described President Hassan Rouhani's recent trip to Oman and Kuwait as a 'sign of goodwill' and 'indicative of the desire for favorable and balanced relations.' In this context, Bahrain has announced the arrest of members of a 'terrorist group linked to Iran.' The Iranian Hajj organization's office in Saudi Arabia is 'reopening.' The UN has warned of widespread famine in Yemen.