Saudi Arabia has now committed acts worse than those promulgated by the “Zionist regime” (Israel), Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, who is Chief Justice of the Iranian regime’s Judiciary body, announced Wednesday, according to a report by Iran’s state-controlled Mehr News Agency.

“They commit crimes which edge those of the cruellest of the fiends,” Larijani said with regard to Saudi Arabia replacing the Jewish state on the Iranian’s criminal totem pole.

“Neither Shias nor Sunnis, if truly as such, would resort to terrorism and violence to advance political ends; the abominable actions of the ISIL (Islamic State) and Takfiris (apostate Muslims) have nothing to do with authentic Islam; they are creations of the ‘bloodthirsty’ regimes,” he added.

Larijani said that Saudi Arabia’s military operation in Yemen was one such example of the Saudis edging the Zionists when it comes to evil deeds.

The U.S.-backed Saudi mission in Yemen–codenamed “Operation Decisive Storm”–sought to reinstall Yemen’s internationally-recognized government to power after it was overthrown by Iran-backed Shiite Houthi militants.

“Saudi regime had announced that they had a pre-planned objective in Yemen which all had been realized; it is very unfortunate that devastation of a country’s crucial infrastructures and death of defenseless and innocent women and children are set as objectives of an attacking country,” the Ayatollah proclaimed.

Although Larijani is a member of the Judiciary body, he has previously stated that the government does not have to answer to Iran’s citizens to attain legitimacy. He supports a society where “every Koranic injunction and the teachings of the Prophet of Islam and the Imams are implemented.”

The European Union has sanctioned Larijani for allowing punishments that included “stoning, executions by suspension strangulation, execution of juveniles, and public executions.” He has also “permitted corporal punishment sentences such as amputations and the dripping of acid into the eyes of the convicted,” according to the EU statement.