Iran warns Saudi Arabia against 'folly' as dispute escalates

CAIRO - 8 May 2017: Iran’s minister of defense warned Saudi Arabia against acts of “folly” in an interview aired Monday.

“There will not be any safe place in Saudi Arabia except Mecca and Medina should [Saudi] commit any folly,” said Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan in an interview to be aired later Monday on Hezbollah-affiliated channel al-Manar.

Iran’s escalated situation came in response to statements by Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman threatening that the kingdom would “move the battle inside Iran.”

“Iran wants to dominate the Islamic world,” bin Salman told Saudi TV channel al-Ikhbariya on May 2, excluding any chance for dialogue between Riyadh and Tehran due to “extremist Iranian thinking.”

“Arrogance made them not aware of what they are saying,” Dehghan said n response. “All they can do is provoke Netanyahu against Iran,” he added, affirming that Tehran never sought to occupy any Arab or Muslim country.