Tehran demands missile parts for examination

By Mustafa Melih Ahishali

ISTANBUL

Iran’s defense minister has demanded that samples of a missile -- which U.S. officials say was supplied by Iran to Yemen’s Houthi rebels -- be handed over to Tehran for examination, Iran’s private Tasnim news agency reported Monday.

“Our enemies can make these assertions,” Defense Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Tasnim.

“But samples from the missile should be handed over to Iran for examination,” he added.

Last Thursday, Nikki Haley, Washington’s ambassador to the UN, accused Tehran of “promoting conflict in the region” by arming and supporting Yemen’s Shia Houthi militia.

"This missile was used [by the Houthis] to attack an international civilian airport in Saudi Arabia,” Haley tweeted.

“Just imagine if this missile had been launched at [Washington’s] Dulles Airport or [New York’s] JFK, or airports in Paris, London or Berlin,” she added.

Shortly afterward, Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif described Haley’s claims as “baseless”, saying they were aimed at covering up “war crimes” being perpetrated in Yemen by a Saudi-led Arab coalition with Washington’s tacit support.