Saudi envoy praises US sanctions on Iran
Five Iranians have enabled Al Houthis to launch missiles into Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US Prince Khalid Bin Salman used his Twitter account to seek an answer from Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.
“I ask @JZarif: How is supplying missiles to a Yemeni militia [Houthis] targeting Riyadh helping defend Iran?”
“To date, over 140 ballistic missiles were fired at civilian targets in KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]. Iran claims its missile programme is defensive,” Prince Khalid posted to his 224,000 followers.
Grateful to US
The ambassador said he was grateful to the US for sanctioning five Iranians “who have provided ballistic missile-related technical expertise to Yemen’s Al Houthis, and who have transferred weapons not seen in Yemen before the current conflict, on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF).”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control in the US Department of the Treasury (OFAC) on Tuesday announced the sanctions.
“These sanctions follow the United Nations Panel of Experts’ affirmation in late January that missiles and other military equipment employed by Al Houthis against Saudi Arabia were Iranian-origin.
Al Houthis launched missiles at Riyadh as recently as May 9, while previous targets have included Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport and a US Navy ship operating in international waters,” the statement said.
The five Iranian officials are associated with the IRGC-QF and Iran’s ballistic missile programmes, it added.
“Their actions have enabled Al Houthis to launch missiles at Saudi cities and oil infrastructure. They have also disrupted humanitarian aid efforts in Yemen, and threatened freedom of navigation in key regional waterways,” Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin was quoted as saying.
“The United States will not tolerate Iranian support for Al Houthis who are attacking our close partner, Saudi Arabia. All countries in the region should be on guard to prevent Iran from sending its personnel, weapons, and funds in support of its proxies in Yemen.”