Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called a U.S. decision to send troops to Saudi Arabia “posturing” and “going the wrong direction” to tackle issues after an attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil supply.
Asked about the decision to send troops in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation set to air on Sunday, Zarif said, “I don’t think this type of posturing helps. I think what helps would be to end the war in Yemen.”
“I think it’s posturing. I think it’s all going the wrong direction in addressing this issue,” he added.
President Trump on Friday approved the deployment of troops and missile defense equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after the attack, which the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have blamed on Iran. Houthi rebels in Yemen, however, have claimed responsibility for the attack on Saudi oil facilities. Iran has also denied involvement.
{mosads}Zarif doubled down on this denial in the CBS interview, saying, he is “confident that Iran did not play a role” in the incident, according to a transcript.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in announcing the deployment that one reason for it is to “demonstrate commitment to upholding the international rules based order that we have long called on Iran to obey.”
The relationship between the U.S. and Iran has been strained since Trump pulled the U.S. out of a nuclear deal last year.