Iran urges caution over Mecca drone claim, calls it "false flag"
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
Iran has urged caution over Saudi Arabia’s claim that a Houthi drone was intercepted near Mecca, saying the incident should not be used to accuse a specific party without evidence.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said any attack on Islamic holy sites, including Mecca, Medina and Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as any threat to visitors and residents, is condemned.
His remarks came after Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Mecca before it entered the holy city’s restricted airspace. Saudi authorities said the drone was launched by the Houthis.
Iran rejects attribution
Baqaei said that simply claiming a drone was intercepted while heading toward Mecca "cannot constitute grounds for accusing a specific party," noting that Yemen's Houthi-led government had explicitly denied targeting the holy city.
The Houthis have rejected Saudi Arabia’s account, describing the allegation as false and denying that they target Islamic holy sites.
ان أيّ اعتداء على الأماكن المقدسة الإسلامية، ولا سيما مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة والمسجد الأقصى، وكذلك تهديد الزائرين والمجاورين لها، هو أمرٌ مدان.
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) September 17, 2026
وفي الوقت نفسه، فإن مجرد ادعاء اعتراض طائرة مسيّرة في طريقها إلى مكة المكرمة لا يمكن أن يشكّل أساسًا لاتهام طرفٍ بعينه، ولا سيما…
Warns against "false flag" claims
Baqaei also called for the security of Islamic holy sites not to be politicized or used to fuel regional tensions.
He warned that the region had witnessed what he described as numerous "false flag" operations in recent months, which he said were intended to divert public attention from what Iran describes as crimes by 'Israel' and the United States and to create divisions among Muslim countries.
"Vigilance and caution are necessary," Baqaei said.
