Iran FM says Saudi claims on military aggression in Yemen are ‘contrary to reality’

Tehran has dismissed accusations by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince that it had launched “direct military aggression” after a missile fired by Yemeni rebels was intercepted near Riyadh. During a phone call with his British counterpart Boris Johnson on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said “the allegations by Saudi officials were contrary to reality and dangerous.” Zarif also slammed “provocative actions by the Saudi government in the region,” AFP said, citing spokesman Bahram Ghassemi. The official Saudi Press Agency earlier quoted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as saying that “the involvement of Iran in supplying missiles to the Houthis is a direct military aggression.” Since Saturday’s missile attack, the Saudi-led coalition has tightened its blockade of rebel-held areas of Yemen, also blocking UN-supervised relief supplies.