Iran

President Rouhani: Massacring Innocent Civilians in Yemen Means No Power

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani rapped Saudi Arabia and other countries which have collaborated with Riyadh in waging military strikes against Yemen, and said killing Yemeni women and children is no source of honor and does not mean power.
Attacking the innocent people is condemned and it doesn’t bring honor to anyone, Rouhani said, addressing the Army forces in military parades held in Tehran on Saturday morning to mark the Army Day.

“What is the meaning of financial and arms aids to the terrorists in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon and bombing of the innocent and oppressed Yemen? What goals are you pursuing? Does the killing of children bring you power or might? You have sown the seeds of hatred in the hearts of the regional people and will take its response soon,” he added.

Stressing the defensive nature of Iran’s military doctrine, Rouhani said, “Our strategy has always been the strategy of active deterrence; this deterrence is aimed at independence, peace and security in our country and the regional states and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces are the most powerful Armed Force in the region in light of their self-belief, self-reliance and innovation.”

“But the goal of this big military power is peace and security and not aggression, attacking the oppressed people and children and these (the Iranian) Armed Forces are always after defending the oppressed people,” he added.

He called on certain regional states to take lessons from the performance and defensive doctrine of the Iranian Armed Forces and stop sparking sedition in the region and stop their attack on the oppressed Yemeni children and elderly.

Rouhani pointed to the nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers as an instance of settling the problems through peaceful means and talks, and said, “We wanted to show to the world and the region that there is no problem at the regional and global level that can’t be resolved at the negotiating table and with logic.”

He, meantime, reminded the power and might of the Iranian Armed Forces, and said, “Our great nation never makes an aggression, but it will never accept (to keep silent if comes under) aggression.”

The annual parades marking the Army Day officially started in Tehran and other cities on Saturday morning with various units of the Islamic Republic Army as well as top commanders in attendance. The latest military and defense achievements made by Iranian experts were put on display at the parades.

Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 24 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed over 2,600 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children. The attacks have also left thousands of people injured.

Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.

Despite Riyadh’s claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.

Five Persian Gulf States — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait — and Egypt that are also assisted by Israel and backed by the US declared war on Yemen in a joint statement issued on March 26.

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