Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says a halt to the military operation against Yemen and foreign meddling in the country is the only solution to the crisis plaguing the Arabian Peninsula state.
The Leader made the remarks in a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on April 7, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.
The Leader said the crisis in Yemen is one of the problems in the Muslim world and stressed, "The stance of the Islamic Republic with regard to all countries including Yemen is opposition to foreign intervention. Therefore, from our point of view, the solution to the crisis in Yemen is also the halt of foreign intervention and attacks against the people of this country."
Ayatollah Khamenei further stressed that the "Yemenis should decide the future of their country," adding, "Today, the United States and Israel are happy with differences among Muslim countries and the solution to these problems is cooperation between the Islamic countries and taking practical and constructive measures."
The Leader also stressed that regional countries will not benefit from trusting the West and the US, adding that all can clearly see the outcome of the measures taken by the West in the region which is to the detriment of the region and Islam.
Ayatollah Khamenei further referred to developments in Iraq and Syria and violent acts of terrorist groups in these countries, adding that those who fail to see the role of the enemy in the crises in these countries have deceived themselves.
The Leader said the US and the Israel are most satisfied with the developments in the region and do not want an end to the scourge of the IS (Islamic state) group.
"Who supports these currents financially and logistically?" the Leader asked, pointing to the brutalities by the IS group and other terrorist groups in the region.
The Leader further stressed the need for the expansion of relations between Iran and Turkey, adding, "The strength of every Muslim country is, indeed, the strength of the Islamic world and the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is that the Islamic countries should strengthen each other."
Ayatollah Khamenei further touched upon the current situation in Iraq and highlighted Iran's assistance to the Iraqi government in its battle against the terrorists, saying, "Iran has no military presence in Iraq, but the two nations of Iran and Iraq have historic, deep-rooted, and very close relations."
The Turkish president, for his part, emphasized the need for the Islamic world to stand on its feet in resolving the existing problems, saying "There are many problems in the region which we should resolve together and one should not wait for the West to resolve these problems."
Erdogan also condemned the crimes and atrocities committed by IS group, saying he doesn't recognize the group as Muslims.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, Erdogan arrived in Tehran earlier in the day on an official one-day visit to hold talks with senior statesmen of the Islamic Republic.
The Turkish president also held talks with the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran's Sadaabad Complex.