Amid a PR push challenging the US and Saudi Arabia over Yemen, Iran used high-profile meetings with Iraqi President Fuad Masum on Wednesday to make a further move.
On the second day of Masums visit, the Supreme Leaderreceived him to declare, The current relationshipis unprecedented as compared with previous years and this trend shows the wisdom of the Iraqi brethren and it should keep on continuing like before.
Ayatollah Khamenei then made an unsubtle play for Iraqi backing of Irans manoeuvres over crises such as Yemen and Syria: Iraqs position certainly can be influential on regional issues and this capacity must be used more and more.
The Supreme Leader returned to Tehrans focus on Yemen, following declarations on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic will send aid by cargo ship and plane to the country and challenge a Saudi-US blockade.
The Saudis and Americans claim that Iran is sending weapons and other military supplies to the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement, which took control of Yemens capital Sanaa in February and then advanced on the south of the country, including the port of Aden where President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi tried to set up an alternative Government.
A Saudi-led coalition began bombing in late March to check the advance. This week, a 5-day ceasefire was agreed to allow humanitarian aid to reach Yemenis.
The Supreme Leader said on Wednesday:
The Saudis committed a big mistake in Yemen and the impacts of the crimes they have committed will certainly backfire on them.
They attacked Yemen based on a request by the fugitive and ousted Yemeni Presidentwho committed treason against his country under the most volatile conditions.
Khamenei also commented on the situation in Syria, where Irans ally Bashar al-Assad is in increasing difficulty amid rebel advances and economic crisis: