Iranian president Hassan Rouhani claimed on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia could not murder journalist Jamal Khashoggi without American support, local news reported.
“I don’t think that a country would dare commit such a crime without the protection of America,” Rouhani said.
The US-based prominent journalist was killed on October 2th in the Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Turkey. His murder was first denied by Saudi officials before saying on Saturday that he was killed during a fight inside the consulate.
Iran has a fragile relation with is regional rival, Saudi Arabia, and the United States especially since US President left Iran nuclear deal on May and impose harsh sanctions against Tehran partly for its interventions in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Iranian media has covered the news on Khashoggi murder but remained silent on the suspicious death of Farshid Haki, a human rights and environmental activist, believed to be murdered by Iranian security forces.
Referring to Karel Marx’s famous quote, Haki said in his last tweet before his death that “Iranians have nothing to lose except their chains.” He talked about the life situation in Iran and supported people’s current strikes and protests.
“The strikes are the result of the critical financial situation,” he added. Haki’s burning body was found in his car last Wednesday.
The news on numerous activists and journalist being jailed, torched and killed annually by Islamic republic remain uncovered by local news agencies.
