Press TV�has conducted an interview with�Derek Ford, a scholar and professor from New York, to discuss the Saudi air raid on Tehran�s diplomatic mission in the Yemeni capital, Sana�a.

What follows is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: What do you believe was behind this attack on the Iranian embassy in Sana�a?

Ford: I should say rather that Saudi Arabia has been you know continuing to stoke certain tensions in the region and I think that this is the latest manifestation of that, and I think that with Iran�s growing prominence in the region, with it becoming increasingly recognized as an anchor of stability, an anchor of rationality, an anchor of peace in many ways, I think that Saudi Arabia is lashing out against Iran.

And you know and also I think Saudi Arabia has now been you know brutally bombing Yemen for you know it has been almost a year and it is interesting that in most the mainstream press coverage of this event you know there is no mention of the fact that you know that is a completely illegal operation; that is completely illegal under all possible interpretations of international law.

So I think Saudi Arabia is a really I mean a very reckless force in the region and I think that it is seeking to increase its own influence throughout the region especially as relations between Iran and the United States are easing.

Press TV:�Iran has held accountable any of those people who entered the Saudi missions in the country; I am wondering will the Saudis do the same for those who attacked an Iranian diplomatic mission because the Saudis were quite sensitive when it happened to theirs?

Ford:�I mean I think I had a kind of laugh when the question was asked and I think that you know to ask the question is really to answer it. You know Saudi Arabia has said that they are investigating the attack. I think that it will be extremely unlikely, if that investigation concludes that there was any wrongdoing on the part of Saudi Arabia, I am quite certain that Saudi Arabia will deny this claim, will deny the facts of what happened and will not rein in any of those individuals responsible because ultimately the individuals who carried out those attacks were clearly doing so in complete alignment with Saudi foreign policy.

By Press TV