Dehqan: Miserable Saudi Arabia Conspires With ‘Israel’ against Iran

09-05-2017 | 13:44

Iran’s defense minister Hossein Dehqan said Saudi Arabia, which has a history of teaming up with other regimes against Tehran, has now become so miserable as to ally itself with ‘Israel’ against the Islamic Republic.

Dehqan: Miserable Saudi Arabia Conspires With ‘Israel' against Iran

Dehqan made the remarks in an interview fully broadcast on Arabic-language Al-Manar TV on Monday.

Brigadier General Dehqan said that over the past 38 years since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Saudi Arabia has gone out of its way to interfere in regional affairs to oppose Iran.

He said Riyadh spent lavishly to support the former Iraqi regime and the Persian Gulf littoral states against Iran in the eight-year Iraq-Iran war of the 1980s. He also referred to the Saudi intervention in Lebanese politics and said the Saudi rulers offered massive financial and political support to the groups they wanted in power in Lebanon. The Saudis also offered weapons to such groups.

“Then, let’s looks at what they have done in Iraq and Syria today. At what they are doing in Yemen today,” Dehqan said.

Saudi Arabia has been a known sponsor of extremist Wahhabi groups wreaking havoc in the region and beyond. It has also been leading a group of its vassal states in a war on impoverished Yemen since March 2015.

“Today, what we’re seeing is Saudi Arabia has become so miserable. So much so that it has convinced itself to curry favor with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and incite it [the ‘Israeli’ regime] against us,” Dehqan said.

Last Tuesday, the Saudi defense minister, Mohammed bin Salman, claimed in a televised interview that Saudi Arabia would fight what he called Iranian attempts to expand its influence in the region.

Dehqan responded by rejecting the accusation that Iran was after taking over territory.

“We have never been and will never be after occupying any Arab or Muslim country,” Dehqan said.

Responding to a question on how the Yemeni conflict could end, Dehqan said it was easy to think of a solution.

“First [should come] a Saudi withdrawal from Yemen. Second, a Saudi refusal to interfere in the affairs of other Islamic countries. Third, accepting the collective security order in the region, and the pullout of extra-regional forces. Fourth, submitting to people’s rule over their own fate.”

When asked if the ‘Israeli’ regime was capable of launching a war on Iran, Dehqan said he would respond by asking a question of his own.

“I answer your question with a question. Could ‘Israel’ successfully end the 33-Day War [on Lebanon]?” he said.

“Did Hezbollah, in a country limited [in terms of resources] as Lebanon [was], have access to massive financial and arms backup? Did ‘Israel’, in the 33-Day War, have any other means in its inventory not to have used?” he further rhetorically asked.

Once again asked if ‘Israel’ could attack Iran, Dehqan said, “Do not doubt that it would if it could.”

Dehqan said Iran has enough missiles to heavily target any and all aggressors.
Asked about how many missiles Iran had, he said, “Enough to heavily, seriously, and massively target everyone that is standing against us in a short period of time if, God forbid,” aggression is launched against Iran.

He advised ill-wishers, however, not to venture against Iran.

“We advise our enemies, the Americans and their other, feeble servants, not to test us,” Dehqan said.

He further stressed that the United States would not be able to effectively fight Daesh because the US itself “has created it for use as a tool.”

“It has in fact created a mobile ‘Israel’,” he said.

Dehqan said ‘Israel’ was best enjoying the situation.

“Israel is… laying back and does not face any threats. Daesh is fighting on its behalf and is providing it with security. Daesh is destroying the capacities of the Muslim world, which can otherwise be used to confront Israel’s acquisitiveness and aggression.”

Brig. Gen. Dehqan also had some advice for Turkey: “The Turks backed Daesh in a serious manner at first.”

“Their perception was that they could topple the legitimate government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad so that their favorite government would take over there.”

Source: Press TV, Edited by website team

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