Ryad must understand "that security cannot be bought", the head of Iranian diplomacy in an interview published on Sunday, in which he believes that "tensions in the region will cease" with the end of the war in Yemen.

"First of all, Saudi Arabia must accept the idea that security cannot be bought," said Mohammad Javad Zarif in an interview given to the Iranian official agency Irna on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York before returning to Iran. "The Saudis are trying to buy security (by creating) tensions and paving the way for foreign intervention in the region," he adds, referring to the Western military presence in the Gulf. According to Mr. Zarif, the Saudi kingdom has so far paid "arms, friendships, support (from other countries)", but should get rid of "the illusion" that it can also "buy security".