Khamenei accuses US of provoking regional conflicts

The US is provoking Saudi Arabia and several other regional countries against Tehran, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday.

"The Americans are trying to provoke Saudi Arabia and some regional states to confront the Islamic republic," Khamenei said, adding that those countries should not be deceived by the US.

Khamenei said the US seeks to make these states undertake the costs of confrontations with Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, "these regional countries should know that if they face the Islamic republic, they will be definitely defeated", he said.

Khamenei said the US forces should leave the Middle East as they are "the cause of insecurity in the region".

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of being the largest supporter of terrorism, citing the readiness of Washington to stand with Riyadh to combat terrorism.

He also said that Iran disturbs the security of the region through arming the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

--IANS

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