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Iran has accused the United States of selling arms to "dangerous terrorists" in the Middle East and of spreading "Iranophobia", following US President Donald Trump's visit to Tehran's arch-foe Saudi Arabia as part of his maiden overseas trip as President.
Mr Trump signed arms deals worth almost $US110 billion during his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia. He has since arrived in Israel, for separate meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"[Mr Trump] tried to encourage the countries of the region to purchase more arms by spreading Iranophobia," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said.
Sending a tough message to Tehran shortly after pragmatist Hassan Rouhani was re-elected president, Mr Trump had urged Arab and Islamic leaders to unite to defeat Islamist militants, and said Iran had for decades "fuelled the fires of sectarian conflict and terrors".
But Mr Rouhani was defiant, saying the summit in Saudi Arabia was a "ceremonial [event] that had no political value and will bear no results".
Mr Rouhani said the US administration lacked knowledge about the Middle East.
"Americans resorted to many different methods against Iran but failed in all … we are waiting for the new Government to find stability and continuity in its policies," he said.
Saudi Arabia and Iran compete for influence across the Middle East, respectively backing rival political or armed groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.
Mr Qassemi said Washington was "reinvigorating terrorists in the region by its hostile policies" and "should stop selling arms to dangerous terrorists".
He said the United States and its allies "should know that Iran is a democratic, stable and powerful country" and that it promoted "peace, good neighbourliness, and the creation of a world opposed to violence and extremism".
Trump sees 'rare opportunity for peace'
Arriving in Tel Aviv, Mr Trump spoke of hope for peace and stability in the Middle East after his visit to Saudi Arabia.
"During my travels in recent days, I have found new reasons for hope," Mr Trump said in a brief speech.
"We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and its people, defeating terrorism and creating a future of harmony, prosperity and peace, but we can only get there working together. There is no other way," he said.
Mr Trump, wearing a yarmulke, became the first sitting president to visit the Western Wall.
Mr Trump touched it in prayer and, adhering to tradition, placed a note in a deep crevice.
He also toured the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is believed to be where Jesus was crucified and the location of his tomb.
On Tuesday, he is set to meet with Mr Abbas in the West Bank and deliver a speech at the Israeli Museum, ending the 28-hour stopover.
Mr Netanyahu and his wife Sara, as well as President Reuven Rivlin and members of the Israeli cabinet, were at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport to greet Mr Trump and first lady Melania in a red carpet ceremony after what is believed to have been the first direct flight from Riyadh to Israel.
Mr Trump's tour comes in the shadow of difficulties at home, where he is struggling to contain a scandal after firing James Comey as FBI director nearly two weeks ago.
The trip ends on Saturday after visits to the Vatican, Brussels and Sicily.
Reuters
Topics: world-politics, unrest-conflict-and-war, israel, iran-islamic-republic-of, united-states
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