Iran summons Swiss envoy to protest U.S. missile allegations

TEHRAN, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned the Swiss ambassador to Tehran to hand him a protest note over the United States' recent claims that missiles fired at Saudi Arabia from Yemen were of Iranian origin, Press TV reported.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic's "strong and official protest at the U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley's injudicious and baseless allegations was conveyed" to the Swiss envoy.

Swiss embassy in Tehran represents the U.S. interests in Iran since 1980.

The letter to the Swiss envoy envisages protest regarding Haley's "provocative" and "irresponsible" remarks, which had been based on "fake evidence," Qasemi was quoted as saying.

On Thursday, Haley appeared standing before parts of a ballistic missile that she claimed Iran delivered to Yemen's Shiite Houthis, which was fired at Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport last month.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Iran will refer the "baseless" U.S. accusations of arms smuggling to Yemen's Houthis to the United Nations.

Tehran has denied arming Iranian-allied Shiite Houthis against the Saudi-led coalition which seeks to restore President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was ousted by Houthis in September 2014.

The Saudi-led coalition has recently blamed Iran for a recent Yemeni missile strike on Riyadh, which Iran dismissed categorically. Enditem