‘Iran Warns of Crushing Response to Any Aggression’
TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council has dismissed the U.S. allegations of Tehran's involvement in the attacks on Saudi oil installations, warning of a crushing and powerful response to any aggression.
"The crisis in Yemen that Saudi Arabia's continued military aggression has prolonged for over 50 months has no military solution and can end only within the framework of Yemeni-Yemeni talks and without interference of third parties," Ali Shamkhani said on Wednesday.
He described the Yemeni people's defense against foreign aggression and cruel massacre of the country's citizens as their legitimate and legal right and a natural reaction to aggressors' cruelties.
Shamkhani noted that the Yemeni army designs and builds its own weapons, and said blaming other countries for the Saturday attacks is just escaping ahead not to account for wasting resources to purchase advanced but ineffective military equipment from the Western states.
He underlined that Iran's strategic policy is decreasing tension, avoiding any clashes and resolving the regional crises through talks.
"Meantime, Iran monitors, with full preparedness, any intention and move for the purpose of aggression against the country or the interests of the Islamic Republic and will give a decisive and all-out response to possible mischiefs in the harshest way which can surprise the aggressors," Shamkhani said.
Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami had also strongly dismissed U.S. allegations about Iran's involvement in the Saturday drone attacks by the Yemenis on Saudi oil facilities.
"The issue is very clear. A clash has occurred between the two countries. One side of the clash is the Yemenis who have clearly declared that they have done the job," General Hatami told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.
He added that Yemen which has been under intensive attacks for several years and sustained many losses and damages due to the Saudi-led coalition's siege has launched the attacks against the Saudi installations, and reminded that the Yemenis had conducted similar long-distance attacks in the past, including an offensive carried out on an airport in the UAE two years ago.
Japan says it has not seen any evidence to prove a claim by the United States that Iran was involved in recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
"We are not aware of any information that points to Iran,” Japan’s Defense Minister Taro Kono told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday.
"We believe the Houthis carried out the attack based on the statement claiming responsibility,” he added, referring to the Yemeni group incorporated into the armed forces fighting back a Saudi-led war on Yemen.
Kono further said Japan would not participate in any potential military action against Iran due to constitutional restraints and would instead pursue a diplomatic solution to the current tensions in the region.
The Yemeni military, which also comprises of members of the Houthi Ansarullah movement, targeted Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities run by the Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco before dawn on Saturday.
The attacks knocked out more than half of the Saudi crude output, or five percent of the global supply.
U.S. officials soon claimed that the attacks had originated from inside Iran.
Iran has rejected the accusation and said the attacks were a legitimate act of self-defense by Yemen, which has been under incessant strikes by the Saudi-led coalition since 2015. The U.S. is a member of that invading coalition.
After the attacks on the Saudi oil facilities, President Donald Trump said the U.S. was "locked and loaded” for a response at the behest of Saudi Arabia, although he later said that he wanted no conflict with any country. Still later, the Pentagon reportedly prepared "response” options for the U.S. president.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement, which claimed responsibility for the attacks shortly after conducting them, has warned Saudi Arabia that targets "will keep expanding” if the Saudi-led war on Yemen continues.
"The crisis in Yemen that Saudi Arabia's continued military aggression has prolonged for over 50 months has no military solution and can end only within the framework of Yemeni-Yemeni talks and without interference of third parties," Ali Shamkhani said on Wednesday.
He described the Yemeni people's defense against foreign aggression and cruel massacre of the country's citizens as their legitimate and legal right and a natural reaction to aggressors' cruelties.
Shamkhani noted that the Yemeni army designs and builds its own weapons, and said blaming other countries for the Saturday attacks is just escaping ahead not to account for wasting resources to purchase advanced but ineffective military equipment from the Western states.
He underlined that Iran's strategic policy is decreasing tension, avoiding any clashes and resolving the regional crises through talks.
"Meantime, Iran monitors, with full preparedness, any intention and move for the purpose of aggression against the country or the interests of the Islamic Republic and will give a decisive and all-out response to possible mischiefs in the harshest way which can surprise the aggressors," Shamkhani said.
Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami had also strongly dismissed U.S. allegations about Iran's involvement in the Saturday drone attacks by the Yemenis on Saudi oil facilities.
"The issue is very clear. A clash has occurred between the two countries. One side of the clash is the Yemenis who have clearly declared that they have done the job," General Hatami told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.
He added that Yemen which has been under intensive attacks for several years and sustained many losses and damages due to the Saudi-led coalition's siege has launched the attacks against the Saudi installations, and reminded that the Yemenis had conducted similar long-distance attacks in the past, including an offensive carried out on an airport in the UAE two years ago.
Japan says it has not seen any evidence to prove a claim by the United States that Iran was involved in recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
"We are not aware of any information that points to Iran,” Japan’s Defense Minister Taro Kono told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday.
"We believe the Houthis carried out the attack based on the statement claiming responsibility,” he added, referring to the Yemeni group incorporated into the armed forces fighting back a Saudi-led war on Yemen.
Kono further said Japan would not participate in any potential military action against Iran due to constitutional restraints and would instead pursue a diplomatic solution to the current tensions in the region.
The Yemeni military, which also comprises of members of the Houthi Ansarullah movement, targeted Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities run by the Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco before dawn on Saturday.
The attacks knocked out more than half of the Saudi crude output, or five percent of the global supply.
U.S. officials soon claimed that the attacks had originated from inside Iran.
Iran has rejected the accusation and said the attacks were a legitimate act of self-defense by Yemen, which has been under incessant strikes by the Saudi-led coalition since 2015. The U.S. is a member of that invading coalition.
After the attacks on the Saudi oil facilities, President Donald Trump said the U.S. was "locked and loaded” for a response at the behest of Saudi Arabia, although he later said that he wanted no conflict with any country. Still later, the Pentagon reportedly prepared "response” options for the U.S. president.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement, which claimed responsibility for the attacks shortly after conducting them, has warned Saudi Arabia that targets "will keep expanding” if the Saudi-led war on Yemen continues.