TEHRAN, Iran — A rare visit by Iran’s intelligence chief to Saudi Arabia sought to refute U.S. claims that Tehran planned to kill the kingdom’s ambassador to Washington, a senior Iranian official said Wednesday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Iran also wanted to convince Saudi Arabia that the U.S. and Israel are seeking to sow seeds of discord between the two regional powers.
Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi was reported to have met the Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdel-Aziz Al Saud during his Tuesday visit. The prince is also the kingdom’s interior minister.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. is in “lockstep with Saudi Arabia with regard to our concerns about what Iran is up to, particularly in the wake of the assassination plot against the Saudi ambassador here.” She said it was an opportunity for the Saudis to deliver that message, but she would not say whether it was delivered.
The Iranian government has denied any connection to Manssor Arbabsiar, the man arrested in the alleged plot.
The Associated Press
