Saudi Arabia’s powerful new crown prince has called Iran’s religious supreme leader “the new Hitler of the Middle East”, a remark which has further inflamed relations between the two regional powers.

Mohammed bin Salman, who was appointed heir to the throne by his father King Salman in June, made the comment in a rare interview with the New York Times on Thursday.

Iran responded furiously to the remarks on Friday, accusing the prince of “following the path of regional dictators” and advising the young leader to “think about their fate”.

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32-year-old Prince bin Salman is widely seen as the face of the modern kingdom. He is the driving force behind ‘Vision 2030’, the kingdom’s long term economic plan to wean itself off dependence on oil, and in recent months has announced several liberal societal reforms.

In his role as defence minister, however, he has attracted criticism for his role in Saudi Arabia’s bloody intervention in the Yemeni civil war, as well as his aggressive stance on Iran.

The prince re-emphasised the Sunni kingdom’s opposition to Shia Iran, with which it vies for geopolitical dominance in the Middle East, backing rival sides in several wars and political crises.

The Islamic Republic’s alleged bid for expansion under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei must be stopped, he said.

The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters

“We learned from Europe that appeasement doesn’t work. We don’t want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East,” he said.

Relations between Riyadh and Tehran have sunk to new lows following a 4 November ballistic missile intercepted near Riyadh’s airport fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen.

Saudi Arabia said the missile was an “act of war” by Iran, which it said supplies the Shia rebels with arms.

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The Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of Yemen’s exiled government responded by shutting down the entire country’s airspace and seaports, in the process triggering renewed fears of famine in the war-torn country.

The resignation of Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad al Hariri in Riyadh earlier this month has also stoked tensions. Mr Hariri, of the Sunni Future Movement party, said he feared an assassination attempt and the growing power of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Shia militant group Hezbollah.

Many, however, believe he was pressured to resign by the Saudi authorities in a bid to destabilise Lebanon’s coalition government.