Tehran accuses Riyadh of backing terrorists across the Middle East

IRANIAN President Hassan Rouhani has accused his country’s rival, and nemesis, Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorism.

The accusation is increasing tensions in the region and has further exacerbated the schism between the Shia and Sunni countries – who are competing for regional hegemony – and their supporters, as the two Mid-East powers continue to support rival groups in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

Rouhani made the allegation on Iranian state television on Tuesday when he said that Riyadh was supporting terrorist groups in Syria and Yemen.

“Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen and their support of terrorists in Yemen and Syria are the main hurdles to improving ties between Tehran and Riyadh.

“Saudi Arabia should stop backing terrorists,” said Rouhani.

His accusation followed 57 rights groups from around the world demanding an inquiry by the UN into human rights abuses in Yemen where a war between Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Saudibacked government forces are battling for control of the country.

The conflict began after Houthi rebels took control of Yemen’s capital Sana’a in September 2014 before pushing towards Aden, the country’s second-biggest city.

A Saudi-led coalition of Arab fighters then launched a counter-military campaign in 2015 to defeat the Shia fighters and restore Yemen’s former government.

The rights groups said the conflict had killed thousands and was fuelling a humanitarian crisis and called for an independent body to probe human rights violations and abuses.

Last week a Saudi-led coalition air strike killed a family of eight people, five of them children.