Iran dismisses Saudi claim that Yemen attempted to target Mecca
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has rejected Saudi Arabia’s allegation that Yemen attempted to target Mecca, saying the reported interception of a drone near the holy city does not, by itself, establish who was responsible.
“Any aggression against Islamic holy sites, particularly Mecca al-Mukarramah, Medina al-Munawwarah, and Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as threats to their pilgrims and neighbors, is a condemned act,” Baghaei wrote on X on Thursday.
“A mere claim of intercepting a drone en route to Mecca al-Mukarramah cannot constitute grounds for accusing a specific party,” he added.
ان أيّ اعتداء على الأماكن المقدسة الإسلامية، ولا سيما مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة والمسجد الأقصى، وكذلك تهديد الزائرين والمجاورين لها، هو أمرٌ مدان.
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) September 17, 2026
وفي الوقت نفسه، فإن مجرد ادعاء اعتراض طائرة مسيّرة في طريقها إلى مكة المكرمة لا يمكن أن يشكّل أساسًا لاتهام طرفٍ بعينه، ولا سيما…
Baghaei warned against politicizing the security of Islamic holy sites, saying the issue must not be used “as a tool to incite strife and escalate regional tensions.”
He also pointed to “numerous instances of false flag operations in recent months,” saying such incidents have been aimed at diverting public attention from the crimes of the Zionist entity and the United States and at sowing discord among Muslim countries.
The Iranian spokesperson urged all sides to exercise caution and vigilance and avoid actions that could further inflame regional tensions, saying such developments would serve the interests of the US and the Israeli regime.
The Iranian statement came after Saudi coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki claimed on Wednesday that Saudi air defenses had intercepted and destroyed a Yemeni drone on Tuesday before it entered Mecca’s restricted airspace.
Yemen, however, rejected the Saudi allegation, with Ansarullah official Hazem al-Asad dismissing claims that Yemen had targeted Mecca as a “worn-out lie” that had been repeated in the past.
Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the Ansarullah political bureau, likewise described the allegation as “an outright lie.”
Yemeni officials stressed that their military operations exclusively targeted Saudi military and strategic facilities rather than Islamic holy sites.
The developments came amid a sharp escalation in Saudi aggression against Yemen, with Riyadh carrying out airstrikes on its southern neighbor.
In response, Yemeni forces launched a major offensive against Saudi-backed forces, gaining full control over the country's Red Sea coast in the past week.
In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a blockade on Yemen and launched a sweeping military campaign, backed by military, political, and logistical support from the United States and several Western countries.
The blockade has killed tens of thousands of Yemenis. However, Saudi Arabia has failed to achieve its stated objective of reinstating a puppet regime that serves its interests.
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