TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that Saudi Arabia is a source of problems in the Middle East region, ISNA reported on Saturday.

“Saudi Arabia is the problem of our region,” Zarif said in an interview with Le Point published on Thursday.

Zarif said, “What has happened to the region is not a result of what we have done, but what Riyadh is doing.”

Zarif, who has repeatedly said Iran is ready to heal wounds with Riyadh, said “This country makes efforts, with support of the U.S., France and Britain, to wipe off Iran from the Middle East or at least isolate it.” 

The chief diplomat added, “Any action taken by Saudi Arabia at anywhere is aimed at enmity towards Iran, while its policies have never yielded to any result.”

In contrast to Saudi rulers, the foreign minister said, Iran has never sought to wipe off Saudi Arabia from the region. 

“It is the Saudis who has sought to cause us harm and since they cannot succeed they accuse us of expansionism.” 

‘When did we say we want to annihilate Israel?’

Zarif also said that nobody in Iran has said that the Islamic Republic is seeking to “annihilate” Israel.

“When did we say we want to annihilate Israel? Find one person that has said so. Nobody has said that,” he said.

He noted that Imam Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, had said that Israel will be wiped out from the map because of the policies it follows.

‘U.S. will not achieve its objectives through sanctions’

Zarif also said that the U.S. has imposed sanctions on Iran to exert pressure on the people and make the country change its policies, however, Washington will not reach its objectives.

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington unilaterally from the nuclear deal in May and ordered sanctions against Iran. The first round of sanctions went into force on August 6 and the second round, which targets Iran’s oil exports and banks, were snapped back on November 4.

NA/PA