Rouhani pans ‘detestable’ ties between some Islamic states and Israel

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday condemned signs that some Muslim countries have been improving their ties with Israel in order to curb his country’s growing influence.

“Some Islamic countries have shamelessly revealed their closeness to the Zionist regime,” Rouhani said in televised speech.

“If some of these countries in the previous years were engaged in negotiations, interaction and cooperation in secret with the enemies of Islam in the region, at least they would deny it in public. Such relations were considered ugly, detestable, sinister and indecent,” he said.

“I have no doubt that the Muslims of the world will not let this sinister plot bear fruit,” Rouhani added.

Iran’s regime leaders routinely call for and threaten Israel’s destruction.

The IDF chief of staff said last month that his country and Saudi Arabia were in “total agreement” that Iran was the greatest threat to the Middle East.

Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot added that the Jewish state was “ready to exchange experience with the moderate Arab countries and exchange intelligence information to face Iran.”

The Saudis have not publicly responded to the reports, and analysts say there is still little chance of formal diplomatic recognition between the two countries.

Rouhani also warned Yemenis would make those attacking their country rue their actions as a Saudi-led coalition pounded the rebel-held capital with heavy airstrikes.

“The people of Yemen will make their aggressors regret their actions,” he said.

Houthi rebel fighters are seen outside of the residence of Yemen’s former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa, December 4, 2017. (MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP)

His comments came a day after the killing of ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh by Iran-backed Houthi rebels triggered a renewed Saudi-backed offensive on the Yemeni capital Sana’a.

The commander of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Jafari, said Saleh was killed because he had been trying to overthrow the Houthis.

Saleh had recently broken his uneasy three-year-old alliance with the Houthis and said he was open to talks with the Saudis.

“The traitor Saudis are seeking to create insecurity in the region under orders from the United States and working alongside Israel… We witnessed their attempt to launch a coup against (the Houthis), which was strangled at birth,” Jafari said, according to the Fars news agency.

Saudi Arabia, Iran’s main regional rival, has been leading a coalition against the Houthis in a war that has cost thousands of lives and become the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations.

Tehran denies direct military support for the Houthis, but a recent UN report said a missile fired by the rebels into Saudi Arabia appeared to have been designed and built in Iran.