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Iran denies meeting held with Houthi leaders in Yemen

Xinhua, October 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Iran denied a Saudi Arabia report that a Foreign Ministry official of the Islamic republic recently visited the Yemeni capital to talk with Iran-backed Houthi fighters, Press TV reported on Friday.

On Thursday, Saudi daily Al Watan alleged that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaber Ansari recently travelled to Sana'a for talks with leaders of Shiite Yemeni Houthi group.

"Fabrication of such news by Saudi media takes place while the route to Sanaa has been closed for several months and Saudi Arabia does not even allow Yemeni nationals to travel" to the city, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying.

Last month, a letter by Saudi Arabia to the UN Security Council also alleged that Iran was transferring weapons to the Houthi fighters in violation of UN Resolution 2216.

Iran denied Saudi claims, saying that allegations about transporting arms into Yemen were "unfounded and undocumented." Endit