Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said there could be no rapprochement between his country and Iran in a wide-ranging televised interview. Salman, who serves as the Saudi defense minister and oversees the government's ambitious overhaul of the economy, said Iran's ambitions "to control the Islamic world" provide no space for dialogue. However, relations hit a new low last year after Saudi Arabia executed a local Shiite cleric, prompting protests that led to the ransacking of Riyadh's embassy in the Iranian capital. In March 2014, Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in Yemen against Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, and allied forces in a bid to bolster the internationally-recognized government of exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Human rights organizations have criticized Saudi Arabia and allied forces for deadly attacks which have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians.

Source: Egypt Independent May 03, 2017 08:15 UTC