TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran on Monday rejected accusations by the West that it was arming Shi'ite rebels in Yemen, saying the dispute was the result of British and American arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran wants the end of the Saudi aggression against Yemen," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasimi said in remarks published on the Iranian website Al-Alam.
"What is happening in Yemen is the result of the export of British and American weapons to Saudi Arabia," he said, describing it as "unacceptable behavior."
The Saudi-led military alliance has been carrying out almost daily raids on Yemen since 2015 as part of its war against the Huthi rebels who have taken control of the capital in a conflict that has led to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, the United Nations said.
According to a UN report last month, Tehran violated the arms embargo imposed on Yemen by failing to prevent weapons from reaching the Houthis.
He added that a missile fired by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia last year was made in Iran, although he could not determine the supplier is categorically.
A UN resolution called for Britain to take "additional measures" against Iran against the background of the report.
"If adopted, this decision will provide support for the aggressor," Qassimi said, referring to Saudi Arabia.
For its part, Russia considered an ally of the Iranian regime that the conclusions of the report is not conclusive enough to justify action against Iran.
A parallel draft resolution on Saturday extended sanctions against Yemen but did not mention any possible action against Iran.
