Irna quoted a key Iranian parliamentarian as saying that Saudi arms
procurement from the West would harm the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom.
The Iranian parliamentarian, Heshmatollah Falahat-Pisheh, cited Riyad's plan
to purchase 200 Leopard-2A7+ main battle tanks from Germany.
"The Arab country's measure will make the Saudis dissatisfied with the
government in the future," Falahat-Pisheh said.
Iran has also criticized Saudi plans to purchase up to $90 billion in
aircraft, missiles and naval vessels from the United States. Falahat-Pisheh
asserted that the United States and its Western allies were trying to use
Saudi Arabia as a replacement to Egypt in wake of the ouster of President
Hosni Mubarak in February.
Over the last two months, Iran has escalated criticism of the Saudi
leadership. Teheran has cited the Saudi military deployment in neighboring
Bahrain in an effort to quell a Shi'ite revolt as well as new U.S. arms
deals with Riyad.
Iran has warned that Saudi Arabia's defense policy would be opposed by
the people in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia contains a Shi'ite community of
about 10
percent of the overall population.
"Supporters of Saudi Arabia have also expressed their dissatisfaction
with the status quo," Falahat-Pisheh, a member of parliament's Defense
Committee, said.