Iran denies allegations of arming Yemeni Houthis

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied that Tehran sends arms to Shiite Houthis in Yemen, Tasnim news agency reported.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi dismissed the allegations as a "sheer lie," and said that Iran's principled policy is pursuing regional stability and security.

Qasemi's remarks came as a reaction to the recent comments by his British counterpart that Tehran supplies arms to Yemeni militants who are fighting against Saudi-backed Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The Iranian spokesman urged the British officials to respect the will of people in the region and refrain from any provocative move and distortion of truth.

He criticized foreign countries' military presence in the region as a cause of instability and growth of extremism and terrorism.

"The regional countries are able to deal with crises and unrests by resorting to dialogue, closer interaction and pursuing the policies of good neighborliness," he was quoted as saying.

On Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Saudi Arabia of committing a "grave crime" by bombing innocents in Yemen.

"Raiding Yemen, uninterrupted bombing of homes, hospitals and schools, and the killing of children are a grave crime of Saudi Arabia, which is done by the supply of the arms and the green light of the United States," he said. Endit