iran advises US to end crimes, ‘malign presence’ in region

Khatibzadeh’s comments came a day after US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus issued a raft of meddlesome remarks on Iran-Yemen bilateral relations.

In a tweet on Thursday, Khatibzadeh lashed out at Ortagus s interventionist remarks noting, “The US has underwritten 5yrs of Saudi-led slaughter in Yemen. Its abuse of diplo cover is also notorious: just ask ex-spymaster @SecPompeo. US is thus in NO position to lecture Yemenis & Iranians abt their bilat ties. Better to end your crimes & malign presence in our region.”

The US State Department spokeswoman had addressed Iran’s recent appointment of Hassan Irloo as its new ambassador to Yemen, claiming that the Islamic Republic had “smuggled” the official into the Yemeni capital Sana’a. This is while Khatibzadeh himself has verified the appointment and Iran’s reputable news agencies have widely reported on the development.

Ortagus also alleged that Irloo was representing Iran to Yemen’s Houthi “militias.” The Yemeni popular defense movement, also known as Ansarullah, took over managing the country’s affairs after Yemen’s former Saudi-backed government fled to Riyadh amid a power crisis and refused to stay behind and negotiate power with the Houthis.

The Houthis have also been defending their country against the Saudi-led and US-backed war by allying themselves with the Yemeni Army and popular committees, something that has won the praise of the nation and rallied it around the cause of resistance.