DUBAI (AFP) – The head of an Al-Qaeda-linked group in the Gulf has warned the Muslim world’s majority Sunnis that the Shiites and Iran pose a greater “danger” than Jews or Christians, a US monitoring group said Tuesday.

“We call on the nation … to stand by (Sunnis) with whatever means they can against the danger of Iran and those who follow (the Shiite) faith in the region,” Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Rashid, leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, said in an audio recording carried by SITE Intelligence group.

“Do you not see and hear the Huthis’ aspirations in Yemen and their incursion against Sunnis?”

He was referring to Shiite Zaidi rebels, loyal to commander Abdul-Malek al-Huthi, who have been embroiled in a war with Sunni-ruled Yemen’s army in north of the country.

Rashid said the Shiite branch of Islam had helped facilitate the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

“They (Shiites) are being driven by a greed to take over Muslim countries and they are full of a wish to annihilate Sunnis,” he said. “Their threat to Islam and its people is much bigger than that from Jews and Christians.”