Iran deputy FM: End of war, siege removal, intra-Yemeni talks key to Yemen crisis settlement

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi says the ongoing crisis in Yemen cannot be settled militarily, calling for the cessation of the Saudi-led military aggression, removal of the tight naval and air blockade as well as intra-Yemeni dialogue to end conflict in the war-ravaged country.

“Since the onset of the [Yemen] crisis [back in March 2015], the Islamic Republic of Iran has maintained there is no military solution to Yemen [crisis], and a halt to the war, the lifting of the [Saudi-imposed] siege and promotion of political negotiations constitute the sole way out of the current crisis,” Araqchi said in a meeting with visiting UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths in Tehran on Monday afternoon.

He reaffirmed Iran’s firm support for intra-regional talks in order to help establish peace and stability, and ensure development in the region.

Griffiths, for his part, underlined Iran’s efforts to contribute to the establishment of peace in Yemen, while demanding an urgent ceasefire in the country and removal of restrictions imposed on the nation in order to begin delivery of humanitarian aid and resume the political process there.

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Iran says US President Biden’s stand on the Yemen war can be a step towards correcting past mistakes if it is not a political stunt.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the war on Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, back to power and crushing the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement.

According to the UN, 80 percent of Yemen’s 30 million people need some form of aid or protection. About 13.5 million Yemenis currently face acute food insecurity, UN data shows.

The popular Houthi Ansarullah movement, backed by the Yemeni armed forces and allied popular groups, has gone from strength to strength against the Saudi-led invaders, and successfully defended Yemen against the Saudi aggression, leaving Riyadh and its allies bogged down in the county.

‘Arms exports to Saudi Arabia must stop or Yemen war won’t end’

Separately, the president of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stressed the need for the immediate cessation of the atrocious war on Yemen, calling for an end to US and European arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“Now that there is an opportunity to end this war, we hope that the United States will be sincere about its position on termination of arms [supply] and intelligence cooperation with Saudi Arabia, and halting the US and Europeans’ arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the UAE would pave the ground for the end of the war,” Kamal Kharrazi said in a meeting with Griffith on Monday.

On February 4, President Joe Biden announced plans to end US support for Saudi Arabia’s “offensive operations” in war-torn Yemen, including ceasing relevant arms sales to the Riyadh regime.

Yemenis not to be fooled by US words on ending support for Saudi war: Houthi

A member of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council says that Yemenis will not be fooled by mere statements by the US government.

But since last week’s announcement, the Biden administration has released few details on what support to Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces in Yemen it plans to end.

Kharrazi then highlighted intra-Yemeni talks in order to establish peace and stability in Yemen, and called on the UN special envoy to exercise impartiality and stop foreign intervention in Yemen’s internal affairs.

He also stressed Iran's readiness to cooperate with the United Nations to secure stability in Yemen, stating that the ongoing Saudi-led war has brought about nothing other than deaths and humanitarian catastrophe. 

“The Yemeni Ansarullah movement has no demand other than enjoy its inherent right and participate in a democratic administration in Yemen. But the objective of the intervention of Saudi Arabia and the UAE is to prevent the formation of a popular government that emerges from the will of Yemenis,” Kharrazi said.

For his part, Griffiths elaborated on his peace proposal for war-torn Yemen, which includes a complete cease-fire, resumption of political talks between the conflicting parties, and to allow humanitarian arrangements.

He emphasized that the US decision to end assistance and arms sales to Saudi Arabia will provide a good opportunity to end the Yemen conflict.

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