Iran Warns Against Politicising Mecca Drone Claims, Cautions Against “False Flag” Tactics To Divide Muslim Nations

Iran says a mere claim of intercepting a drone near Mecca cannot justify blaming the Houthis, who have denied the Saudi coalition's account

PGurus Newsdesk

September 18, 2026

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei says a mere claim of intercepting a drone near Mecca cannot justify blaming the Houthis, who have denied the Saudi coalition's account entirely

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said a mere claim of intercepting a drone cannot justify blaming a specific party

Iran condemned any potential aggression against Islamic holy sites while cautioning against using unverified claims to stoke regional tension, after Saudi Arabia alleged a Houthi drone had targeted the holy city of Mecca. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, posting on X, called any attack on Mecca al-Mukarramah, Medina al-Munawwarah or Al-Aqsa Mosque, or threats to their pilgrims, a condemned act — while stressing that protecting sacred sites shouldn’t come at the cost of drawing conclusions without solid evidence.

Iran Questions The Basis For Blame

Baghaei was pointed in his skepticism, arguing that a mere claim of intercepting a drone en route to Mecca cannot by itself justify accusing a specific party — especially since Yemen‘s Government of Change and Construction (the Houthi-aligned administration) has explicitly denied the claim. He called on regional actors to avoid exploiting allegations tied to holy sites for broader political ends, warning against turning the security of Islamic sanctities into “a tool to incite strife and escalate regional tensions.” He went further, pointing to what he described as a pattern of “false flag” operations in the region in recent months, allegedly designed to distract from actions by “the Zionist entity and the United States” and to sow discord among Muslim nations, urging “caution and vigilance.”

The Houthis Reject The Allegation Outright

Yemen’s Houthi movement had already rejected the Saudi claim a day earlier, with military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree calling it “fabrications and lies” in a statement posted on Telegram. Saree insisted Houthi operations are directed exclusively at Saudi oil facilities and military bases, “far removed from the sacred sites,” and accused Saudi Arabia’s ruling family of desecrating Mecca itself through unrelated conduct.

What Saudi Arabia Says Happened

The dispute traces back to Tuesday evening, when the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Mecca before it could enter the city’s restricted airspace. Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki described the incident as a “hostile and terrorist act” and called the security of the Two Holy Mosques and their pilgrims a “red line.”

The Wider Conflict Continues Regardless

Iran’s statement came as fighting on the ground showed no signs of slowing. Yemeni government forces said they struck Houthi supplies and positions in Taiz and Mocha, while Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi told France’s ambassador to Yemen that Houthi forces were taking heavy losses across multiple fronts, including Taiz, Marib and Lahj. Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a skiff had pursued and attempted to intercept a westbound tanker roughly 75 nautical miles east of Aden, an incident authorities are still investigating.

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