Iran dismisses Saudi Arabia's accusations of aggression as 'false, dangerous'

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif. [Photo/Xinhua]

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday dismissed the accusations of Iran's direct aggression made by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as "false and dangerous".

The Saudi crown prince's accusations that Iran launched "direct military aggression" against the kingdom are contrary to international law and the United Nations Charter, Zarif was quoted by Press TV as saying.

Mohammed bin Salman earlier on Tuesday accused Iran of launching direct military aggression against his country, in a form of supplying missiles to the Shiite Houthi militia in Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen said the dangerous escalation came after Saudi military intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile fired at Riyadh on Saturday.

On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry already dismissed the allegations by the Saudi-led coalition that Tehran was behind the missile attack on Riyadh.

The allegations are "destructive, irresponsible, provocative and baseless", Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said, while calling the attack as Yemenis' "independent" reaction to Saudi attacks.

Saudi Arabia is leading a mostly Arab military coalition to fight Houthi rebels in Yemen since March 2015 in a bid to restore President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was ousted by the Houthis in September 2014.

The Houthis have taken over the control over much of Yemen's north, including the capital Sanaa since 2014.