Khashoggi murder unthinkable without US backing: Rouhani

Tehran: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday claimed that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s “heinous murder” would have been unthinkable “without US backing”. In remarks to cabinet broadcast on state television, Rouhani said, “I don’t think that any country would dare do such a thing without US backing.” Rouhani said it is quite clear that the heinous murder was planned by an institution. He said it is superpower America which aids Riyadh government.

Saudi authorities on October 20 accepted that dissident journalist, Kamal Khashoggi who was living in self-imposed exile in the United States, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

While the case has triggered an international outcry against Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday dubbed the case as “one of the worst cover-ups” in history.

Iran remained silent about the Khashoggi case until Monday when its judiciary chief Sadegh Amoli Larijani slammed Saudi Arabia over the death and said: “This heinous murder further revealed the nature of Saudis, their kingdom and that young man who is seeking fame and murdering innocent people.”