clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Yemen wants stronger ties with Tehran, ‘Houthi’ FM tells new Iran envoy

October 28, 2020 at 1:04 pm

Minister of Foreign Affairs for Yemen’s Houthi-led National Salvation Government (NSG)[ArynHabeeb]

The Minister of Foreign Affairs for Yemen’s Houthi-led National Salvation Government (NSG), Hisham Sharaf, has told Iran’s recently appointed ambassador to Sanaa that he intends to strengthen bilateral ties with Tehran in various fields.

Sharaf’s comments were made during a meet yesterday with Hasan Irlu where he was presented with a copy of the ambassador’s credentials. The minister expressed his hopes for enhanced relations with Tehran and stated: “Iran’s position calling for an end to the aggression and blockade imposed on Yemen is appreciated by the Yemeni people”

https://twitter.com/HasanIrlu/status/1321100528152170496

Irlu also reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment in its support for Sanaa, saying Iran would make every effort to achieve peace in the country. Iran recognises the NSG as the legitimate government of Yemen and received Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Dailami as Sanaa’s ambassador last year. Despite not being internationally recognised, the Sanaa-based government formed two years after the 2014 Houthi takeover of the capital controls the majority of Yemen in terms of population centres.

READ: It’s time for the international community to stop ‘recognising’ Hadi’s ‘government’

The UN-recognised Yemeni President, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi is currently living in exile in Saudi Arabia having fled the country in 2015, prompting the Saudis and the UAE to lead a coalition of mostly Arab states in an attempt to overthrow the NSG and bring Hadi back to power. This has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, yesterday UN officials warned that acute child malnutrition has peaked in parts of the country, with nearly 100,000 children now at risk of dying. The UN has received only $1.43 billion of the $3.2 billion needed to fund this year’s humanitarian response in Yemen.