TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- A senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official has strongly denounced fresh Saudi Arabia’s claims of Iranian meddling in the internal affairs of the regional countries.
Director general of International Peace and Security Department at Iran’s Foreign Ministry Reza Najafi on Thursday dismissed Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf accusations at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Jeddah as "invalid”.
He said Iran, as one of the founders of the 57-member OIC, wished the gathering would have been used to "reinforce unity among the Muslim Ummah”.
At the opening the gathering on Wednesday, Assaf blasted what he called "Iranian interference in other nations' affairs”. He also urged "firmness and determination” over mysterious attacks on oil tankers off Fujairah.
He made the remarks just hours after warmongering U.S. national security advisor John Bolton alleged Tehran was almost certainly behind the attacks.
Najafi, who headed the Iranian delegation to the OIC summit, urged the forum to turn its focus on the main issue of the Muslim world, namely Palestine.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Moussavi said, "Mr. Bolton and other warmongers need to know that the strategic patience, high vigilance and full defense readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which emanates from the strong resolve of its great nation, will not let them fulfill their ominous schemes to create chaos in the region.”
Tensions have risen since the U.S. decided to dispatch an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber taskforce, an amphibious assault ship, as well as 1,500 additional troops to the region.