Iran: Riyadh’s Letter to UN Contains ‘Unsubstantiated Claims’
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemned Saudi Arabia's recent anti-Iran letter to the United Nations (UN), saying that it includes “unsubstantiated claims that have not been verified by any independent entity”.
In a statement on Saturday, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations categorically rejected the allegations, as contained in Saudi Arabia’s letter to the President of the Security Council, regarding arms transfers to Yemen and violations of Security Council Resolution 2216.
It came after Saudi Arabia on September 14 wrote a letter to the UN, asking the international body to lay pressure on Iran and stop it from “smuggling weapons to Houthi” fighters in Yemen.
“This letter includes unsubstantiated claims that have not been verified by any independent entity. These claims are raised against the numerous confirmed reports, documenting Saudi Arabia’s war crimes and violation of international law and international humanitarian law. Saudi Arabia has engaged in a year and a half long wide ranging, non-proportionate and irrational war against the people of Yemen, where they have undeniably committed crimes against defenseless women and children. Saudi Arabia has also decimated much of Yemen’s civilian infrastructure and not hesitated to destroy schools and hospitalsm,” part of the statement read.
It added, “It is surprising that Saudi Arabia would complain to the United Nations about the use of weapons in Yemen even while Saudi Arabia itself has purchased tens of billions in arms that it is using against the Yemeni people.”
The statement further stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran does not believe in a military solution to Yemen and has always urged for cessation of hostilities, dialogue and resort to legal and peaceful mechanisms to achieve a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
The Saudi military has been pounding Yemen since March last year to undermine Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement and to restore power to the former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh.
Nearly 10,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in Riyadh’s military aggression which lacks any international mandate.
