Yemeni government rejects Iranian mediation, citing arms support for Houthis

The Yemeni government has rejected Iran’s attempts to position itself as a mediator in the country’s crisis, stressing that Tehran’s continued arming and support of the Houthi militia makes it a direct party to the war, not a neutral facilitator for dialogue. The government called on the international community to take concrete measures to halt Iranian interference and cut off funding sources to the group.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Afrah Al-Zouba said recent statements from Iran’s foreign ministry do not absolve Tehran of responsibility for fueling the coup and prolonging the conflict. She added, as quoted by the official Yemeni news agency: “Instead of offering mediation, the Iranian regime should withdraw its hand and weapons from Yemen, respect the sovereignty of nations, and adhere to the principles of good neighborliness.”

Al-Zouba described Iran’s mediation offer as a provocation to the Yemeni people and the families of victims of Iranian weapons, especially amid ongoing Houthi escalation, attacks on the interim capital Aden, the siege of Taiz, shelling of residential areas in Marib, threats to international shipping, and assaults on civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia.

The foreign minister accused the Houthis of rejecting regional and international peace efforts, including the Saudi-proposed roadmap, and of using ceasefire opportunities to regroup and upgrade their military arsenal. She said Iran is seeking to use the Yemeni issue as a “bargaining chip.”

Al-Zouba also rejected Tehran’s attempts to legitimize the Houthis or label them as “armed forces,” affirming that the security of Yemen and neighboring countries will not be subject to the decisions of a group armed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The minister reaffirmed Yemen’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and support for its right to defend its security and citizens, emphasizing that the security of both countries is indivisible. She also praised Riyadh’s developmental, economic, and humanitarian support for Yemen and its people.

Al-Zouba outlined a series of what she described as Iranian violations of Yemeni sovereignty and international law, including the severing of official ties in 2015, the handover of Yemeni diplomatic premises in Tehran to Houthi representatives in November 2019, the smuggling and appointment of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard officer as “ambassador” in Sanaa in October 2020, and the operation of flights to Sanaa airport without Yemeni government approval in July 2016.

The foreign minister called on the international community to take a firm stance against Iranian interference, support the legitimate government in restoring state institutions and authority across Yemen, and take practical steps to designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, cut off their funding, hold their financiers accountable, and enforce the arms embargo under UN Security Council Resolutions 2216 and 2624.