Saudi Arabia says it will judge Iran's Raisi by 'reality on the ground'

FILE PHOTO: Iran's President-elect Ebrahim Raisi gestures at a news conference in Tehran, Iran June 21, 2021. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

VIENNA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will judge Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi's government by "the reality on the ground", the kingdom's foreign minister said on Tuesday, while adding that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on foreign policy.

Raisi, a hardline judge who secured an expected election victory on Saturday, said on Monday he wanted to improve ties with Gulf Arab neighbours while calling on regional rival Saudi Arabia to immediately halt its intervention in Yemen.