April 30 (UPI) -- Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomenei accused the United States on Monday of provoking some Arab countries into a confrontation with Iran.
His comments to Tehran workers and entrepreneurs came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in Riyadh, urged unity among Persian Gulf countries in confronting Iran. In a news conference before he left for Jordan, Pompeo expressed his concern over Iranian influence in the region, notably in the Syrian civil war. He added that he wants to see the conflict reduced through negotiations brokered by the United Nations. Pompeo's trip has included visits to Israel and Saudi Arabia thus far.