Envoy: Iran arms for Yemen 'lies' by US aim to justify aggression

Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations has unequivocally dismissed US allegations about the Islamic Republic’s interference in Yemen, saying Washington aims to achieve its short-sighted political interests in the region through spreading lies and misinformation.

Amir Saeid Iravani made the statement in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and rotating President of the UN Security Council Pedro Comissario Afonso in response to the recent US accusations against Iran at a Security Council meeting on the situation of Yemen.

During the public UNSC meeting on May 13, US Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Robert Wood claimed that the Islamic Republic was sending “advanced weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles” for Yemen’s military and Ansarullah resistance movement.

“It is regrettable that, once again, the US representative used the Security Council’s platform to advance its short-sighted political interests and to justify and legitimize the US's ongoing illegal actions and military aggression against Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity by spreading lies and misinformation about the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the situation in Yemen,” Iravani wrote in his letter.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran unequivocally rejects these unfounded allegations.”

Iravani also rejected the identical allegations made against Tehran by the representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom and France in another meeting on Yemen in April.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has made it clear that it is committed to the Security Council's relevant resolutions on the situation in Yemen and has not engaged in activities in contravention of these resolutions,” the Iranian diplomat said.

“Iran consistently advocates for the peaceful resolution of the Yemen crisis through diplomatic channels and underscores its dedication to maritime security and freedom of navigation,” he added.

Houthi: Yemen to target any Israel-bound ships within range of its weapons

Ansarullah leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has declared that Yemeni forces will target any ship bound for Israeli ports, regardless of whether they pass through the Red Sea.

Yemen's armed forces have launched dozens of military operations against Israeli-linked shipping since October 2023, when the occupying regime launched its Western-backed war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The United States and Britain have since mid-January carried out air and missile aggression on Yemen, also providing Israel with untrammeled support, including in arms, finance and logistics.

Earlier in the month, spokesman of Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced the commencement of the fourth phase of the pro-Palestinian operations, saying the Yemeni forces would target all ships heading to Israeli ports "in any area within our reach."

Israel launched its US-backed war on Gaza on October 7 following a historic operation by the Palestinian resistance groups against the usurping entity.

The Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 35,272 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 79,205 others.

In solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, the Yemeni forces have targeted ships going to and from ports in the occupied territories, or whose owners are linked to Israel, in the southern Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Gulf of Aden, and even in the Arabian Sea, saying the operations will continue unless Israel stops its war and its siege on the Gaza Strip.

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