Iranian Official: Saudi Policies Adopted under ’Israeli’ Influence

Local Editor

Amid strained relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, a senior Iranian military official said that the policies adopted by Riyadh are under the influence of "Israel," which seeks to see tension between the two countries.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a top military adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, stated on Monday: "Al Saud policies are influenced by the Zionist regime; and this regime is more inclined than the United States toward dragging the region to insecurity, unrest and chaos."

He further added that Tel Aviv\'s impact on Saudi policies should be examined, stressing that Riyadh's actions led to the massacre of the people in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, describing the killings as the "Zionists' policy."

Besides, the Saud family is widely believed to be one of the main sponsors of Takfiri terrorist groups operating in Syria and Iraq.

Relatively, relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been strained in recent days following the Saudi execution of top reform activist cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, which was announced on January 2.

Nimr's execution was widely censured by Muslims and human rights activists around the globe as well as different governments.

Consequently, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran on January 3 following demonstrations held in front of the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad by angry protesters censuring the killing of Nimr.

Some people mounted the walls of the consulate in Mashhad while incendiary devices were hurled at the embassy in Tehran. However, the Iranian authorities detained almost 60 people over the transgression.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team