ANKARA - Iran said on Monday cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States will further destabilize the Middle East, a senior official said, adding that Tehran will continue its presence in the region despite Washington's pressure to limit its influence.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who met Saudi King Salman in Riyadh on a flying visit to the region, said on Sunday that the United States was deeply concerned by Iran's "destabilizing and malign activities" in the Middle East.
"Pompeo's remarks about Iran are baseless and repetitive ... As long as the legitimate governments of the regional countries need our help, Iran will remain in those countries," Iranian state TV quoted Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.