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Iranian president calls Saudi-led attacks on Yemen "strategic mistake"

Xinhua, May 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Saudi-led coalition has made a "very big strategic mistake" by its air strikes on Yemen, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia is pouring bombs on the impoverished Yemeni people instead of helping the developing country, which is "unfair," Rouhani was quoted as saying by Press TV.

He criticized what he called the indifference of the world community about the ongoing situation in Yemen and warned against the worsening humanitarian situation in the Arab state.

Iran would proceed with its efforts to send relief aid to Yemen, Rouhani added.

On Thursday, Iran's Red Crescent Society announced that Iran would soon ship humanitarian aid to conflict-stricken Yemen.

A ship with a capacity of 2.5 tonnes was loaded with food parcels and medicine in Iran's southern Bandar Abbas port city, chief of Iran's Red Crescent Society, Ali-Asghar Ahmadi, said, adding that the ship was scheduled to leave Iran's waters on Saturday and arrive at its destination in approximately 10 days.

Earlier, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussein Amir-Abdollahian said Iran would not allow the Saudi-led coalition to intercept the aid ship headed to Yemen.

His remarks came following the reports that the U.S. warships had intercepted the Iranian ships near Yemen waters recently.

"We will continue to send humanitarian aid to Yemen and never allow the country's siege," Amir-Abdollahian was quoted as saying by semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition on Houthi rebels in Yemen have been going on since late March. More than 1,000 people have been killed and 3,000 injured in the airstrikes and in fierce fighting between the Shiite Houthi group and tribal militia loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Riyadh and Washington have conditioned the proposed cease-fire deal on Houthi rebels agreeing to abide by its terms.

Saudi Arabia accused Iran of arming and financing Houthi fighters, an accusation rejected by Tehran. Endit