Iran accused its main regional rival Saudi Arabia on Monday of adopting a “militaristic, crisis-based approach” after Riyadh said Tehran was behind last week’s attack on two oil tankers at the entrance to the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman earlier on Sunday called on the international community to take a “decisive stand” over the attacks – but said the kingdom did not want a war in the region.
“Salman’s charges against Iran in various situations is a continuation of Riyadh’s misguided approach and attempts at escaping the problems brought on by their own policies,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said, according to state TV.
“Saudi Arabia has poured out the wealth of its people and countries in the region with a lack of proper understanding of the region’s variables with a militaristic, crisis-based approach,” he added.
Iran has denied any role in Thursday’s strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping and transit route for oil.
The attacks on the two tankers, which the United States also blamed on Iran, have raised fears of a broader confrontation in the region.