UK calls on Iran to stop arming Houthis in Yemen

Britain has called on Iran to “stop sending in weapons which prolong the conflict” to the Houthis in Yemen and to use its influence instead to end the conflict in the country.

“We question why Iran is spending significant revenue in a country with which it has no real historical ties or interests, rather than using its influence to end the conflict for the good of the Yemeni people,” Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said in a joint statement.

“If Iran is genuinely committed to supporting a political solution in Yemen – as it has publicly stated – then it should stop sending in weapons which prolong the conflict, fuel regional tensions, and pose threats to international peace and security.”

Read: UK calls for inclusive talks on Yemen

The statement affirmed London’s support for the Saudi-led coalition’s efforts to restore legitimacy in Yemen, as approved by the UN Security Council.

A report by a UN panel of experts concluded that Iran did not take measures to prevent the supply of Iranian-made ballistic missiles to the Houthis, however the experts could not identify what channels were being used to smuggle the missiles.