Iran blocking Yemen peace, Riyadh says
AL HOUTHIS ‘WOULD NOT HAVE CONTINUED OPERATIONS WITHOUT TEHRAN’S BACKING’
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir has accused Iran of destroying all attempts to find a solution in Yemen, and smuggling arms to Al Houthi militants.
He was addressing a gathering in the Saudi capital of foreign ministers and military officials from countries including the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, and Senegal.
“Iran is destroying all attempts to find a solution in Yemen, which has led to the failure of all political negotiations between the government and these militias,” Al Jubeir said. “These militias would not have continued operations without the support of the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world — the Iranian regime.’’
Last week, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman issued a stark warning on Yemen, quashing any rumours about abandoning the operation in Yemen.
“If we don’t want another Hezbollah in the Middle East, then let’s change our policy in Yemen. We’re pursuing until we can be sure that nothing will happen there like Hezbollah again, because Yemen is more dangerous than Lebanon. It’s next to Bab Al Mandab so if something happens there, that means 10 per cent of world trade stops. This is the crisis.”
Al Houthi militants, who received weapons and funds from Iran, have been engaged in a two-year civil war with Yemen’s legitimate and internationally-recognised government.
The conflict has cost the lives of thousands and has brought large-scale humanitarian suffering to its people. A cholera outbreak has also claimed more than 2,100 lives since April as hospitals struggle to secure supplies. The United Nations has warned that Yemen now stands at the brink of a famine.
Meanwhile, the information ministers of the countries combating terrorism yesterday met in Manama and welcomed the strategy of the United States towards Iran.
The meetings come a week after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with Gulf officials that largely focused on Iran
Saudi Arabia yesterday accused Iran of blocking peace efforts in Yemen, slamming its political archrival over support for the Yemeni rebels Riyadh is fighting against.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir accused Tehran of smuggling arms to Yemen’s Al Houthi rebels, who control northern Yemen, and to the rebels’ ally, former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
“Iran is destroying all attempts to find a solution in Yemen, which has led to the failure of all political negotiations between the government and these militias,” Al Jubeir told a gathering in the Saudi capital of foreign ministers and military officials from countries including Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Senegal.
“These militias would not have continued operations without the support of the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world — the Iranian regime,” Al Jubeir said.
Yesterday’s gathering in Riyadh comes a week after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Gulf officials in the Saudi capital for talks that largely focused on Iran’s role across the region.
Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi came to power in early 2012 after massive Arab Spring protests ousted former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Manama meeting
Meanwhile, in Manama, the information ministers of the countries combating terrorism welcomed the new US policy towards Iran. They also renewed their commitment to work with Washington to counter Iran’s support of extremism and underlined the importance of fighting terrorism.
The ministers also stressed the need to counter Qatar’s interference in other Arab countries’ internal affairs, and its strategy of supporting political Islam, and embracing terrorism as a means to achieve its goals.
They said that Qatar continued to undermine security and stability of other countries.