Iran Warns Saudi Of 'Strategic Patience' Running Out Days After US Expresses Possibility Of 'Attack'

Days after the U.S. expressed concerns that Iran may ‘attack' Saudi Arabia, Tehran has reportedly told Riyadh that ‘strategic patience' may soon run out.

What Happened: “Until now, Iran has adopted strategic patience with firm rationality, but it cannot guarantee that it will not run out if hostilities continue,” Iran’s intelligence minister Esmail Khatib told Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Reuters reported citing Tehran's semi-official Fars news agency.

“If Iran decides to retaliate and punish, glass palaces will crumble and these countries will not experience stability anymore,” he said. 

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Last week, the U.S. said it would not hesitate to respond, if necessary, after the allies were on high alert as Riyadh warned Washington of an imminent attack from Tehran on targets in the kingdom. Iran later denied that it posed any threat to Saudi Arabia. 

Tehran is currently experiencing a massive country-wide wave of protests since the death of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody in September. The regime has accused foreign nations of inciting unrest in the country and encouraging the demonstrators, who it calls "rioters."

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami, in October, had warned Riyadh to control its media outlets, "otherwise you will pay the price."

“I am warning the Saudi ruling family…. Watch your behavior and control these media … otherwise, you will pay the price. This is our last warning because you are interfering in our state matters through these media. We told you, be careful,” Salami had said.

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