By Staff, Agencies

Iran lashed out at the UAE for insulting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying the country of small emirates is in no position to question the credibility of Iranian officials.

Earlier, UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash claimed in a tweet on Friday that Zarif’s reference to the so-called B-Team "becomes more farcical and his credibility diminishing.”

Zarif had tweeted that US allegations against Iran over Thursday attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman were part of “sabotage diplomacy” adopted by the "B-Team" to cover up "Economic Terrorism" against Tehran.

Zarif often uses the “B-Team” to refer to US national security adviser John Bolton and three other hawkish officials in the region, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Responding to Gargash's claims, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the countries that lack credibility and independence and serve as "milking cows" for the US cannot raise doubts about the Iranian officials' credibility.

Before his presidency, US President Donald Trump had described Saudi Arabia as "a milk cow" which would be slaughtered when its milk ran out.

In September 2018, Trump said he had told Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud that Riyadh had "trillions of dollars" and could pay its military bills.

"I love Saudi Arabia. They are great, King Salman, I spoke with him this morning. I said, king, you have got trillions of dollars. Without us, who knows what’s going to happen. .... With us they are totally safe," Trump said then.