Iran: Mecca drone claim insufficient to assign blame
Shafaq News- Tehran/ Riyadh
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday said Saudi Arabia’s report of intercepting a drone heading toward Mecca was not enough on its own to blame any particular party, citing the Houthis’ (Ansarallah) denial.
Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei condemned any attack on Islamic holy sites, including Mecca, Medina, and Al-Aqsa Mosque, and any threat to visitors and nearby residents.
ان أيّ اعتداء على الأماكن المقدسة الإسلامية، ولا سيما مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة والمسجد الأقصى، وكذلك تهديد الزائرين والمجاورين لها، هو أمرٌ مدان.وفي الوقت نفسه، فإن مجرد ادعاء اعتراض طائرة مسيّرة في طريقها إلى مكة المكرمة لا يمكن أن يشكّل أساسًا لاتهام طرفٍ بعينه، ولا سيما…
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) September 17, 2026
He warned against politicizing Islamic holy sites or using them to fuel discord and regional tensions, adding that the region has witnessed “false flag” operations intended to divert attention from crimes committed by Israel and the United States and sow divisions among Islamic countries.
On September 16, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki announced that a drone he attributed to the Houthis had been intercepted and destroyed south of Mecca on September 15, before entering prohibited airspace. He called the security of Islam’s two holiest sites and pilgrims a “red line” and pledged deterrent measures. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree later dismissed those claims, saying, “There is no threat whatsoever from Yemen to the holy sites. Our operations target their oil facilities and military bases and are far removed from the holy places.”
Saudi Civil Defense separately reported on Thursday that debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni national and injured a Saudi and a Pakistani in Taif, damaging buildings and vehicles.
Read more: Houthi advance raises stakes from Bab al-Mandeb to Iraq
