I will tell you that the conflicts that they are trying to label as denominational conflicts in Iraq, Syria and other countries are not denominational at all. They are of a political nature. The war in Yemen is a political war, not a religious one. They falsely claim that the issue is about Shia and Sunni while this is not the case. Some of those people who are losing their children, women, infants and their hospitals and schools in Yemen under the bombardment of the Saudis are Shafi'i and some of them are Zaidi . So, the issue is not about Shia and Sunni. The conflict is a political conflict, the conflict between policies. Today, they are creating such a situation in the region. It was they who created discord.
Statements made in a meeting with the participants of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly and the members of Islamic Radio and Television Union; August 17, 2015.
Stopping Saudi crimes immediately and beginning Yemeni-Yemeni negotiations can put an end to the conflicts in that country. The behavior of Saudis in Yemen and Syria is a double standard. They say about Yemen that they have intervened militarily in Yemen at the request of the resigned and fugitive president of Yemen, but they are not willing to stop supporting armed protesters in Syria at the legal request of the sitting president of that country.
Statements made in meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and ambassadors of the Islamic Republic of Iran; November 1, 2015.
The move that the Saudi government is making in Yemen cannot be justified by any logic and argument. If someone sends an airplane to another country saying, "Why do you want such and such a person to rule? Why not such and such a person?" and if they decide to strike the people, target infrastructure, commit crimes, kill women and children and set everywhere on fire, there is no justification in this. And the Americans are supporting this unjustifiable move and this great crime.
Can dishonor and disgrace exist at a higher level than this? Today, America has no honor and dignity in the eyes of regional peoples. Everyone is watching this situation. The Americans are outspokenly saying that they support this move and they are not embarrassed at all. Then, they say to us, "Why do you send help [the people of Yemen]?" We wanted to send pharmaceutical aid. We wanted to send drugs for the sick. We did not want to send weapons because they do not need any. All Yemeni military bases and armies are in the hands of revolutionary people and this group "Ansarullah". They do not need our weapons. We wanted to send them drugs, but you laid a pharmaceutical siege on a people. You laid a food and energy siege on them and then you say, "No one should help them".
You did not even allow the Red Crescent to provide some services. This is while they [U.S.] themselves give military information to the Saudis. They give them weapons and resources and they provide them with political encouragement. They have no honor and reputation whatsoever. The path that the people of Iran have chosen is a reasonable, solid and promising path. Much to the dissatisfaction of the enemies, this path will produce results and the people of Iran will be successful. Then, the enemies will see that they have failed to reach their vicious goals against the people of Iran.
Statements made in Meeting with Teachers from Throughout the Country; May 6, 2015.
As for the issue of Yemen, the Saudis have established a bad tradition in the region. Of course, they have made a mistake. Today, what the government of Saudi Arabia is doing in Yemen is exactly the same thing that the Zionists are doing in Gaza. This issue has two aspects: one is that it is a genocidal crime. It is a crime that can be pursued by international authorities. They kill children and destroy houses, infrastructure and national sources of wealth. Well, this is a big crime. This is one aspect of the issue.
The other aspect is that the Saudis will suffer a loss on this matter. They will suffer a loss and they will not achieve any victory. There is a very clear reason for this. The reason is that the military capabilities of the Zionists are several times more than these so-and-so Saudis. The Zionists are much stronger than them. The Zionists too had military capabilities. And the camp against them was a small strip of land, namely Gaza. But the camp against the Saudis is a country which is comprised of tens of millions of people. It is a people and a vast country that has stood up against the Saudis. If the Zionists can achieve victory in Gaza, the Saudis too will achieve victory in Yemen. Of course, even if the Zionists achieved victory, the chances for the Saudis to achieve victory in Yemen would be zero. In the present time, their chances are less than zero. So, they will definitely receive a blow. Without a doubt, their noses will be rubbed in dirt.
Statements made in Meeting with Panegyrists; April 9, 2015.
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