Deputy FM: Saudi Arabia’s Aggression against Yemen Strategic Mistake

Deputy FM: Saudi Arabia’s Aggression against Yemen Strategic Mistake
Tue Sep 22, 2015 17:46:37

We must raise global awareness of the Yemeni issue; if we don’t resolve it in time, the rise in terrorism and the stream of refugees coming to Europe will intensify.

“Saudi Arabia’s aggression against Yemen will of course have negative impacts for the region’s security as well as for the security of Saudi Arabia and Yemen,” Amir Abdollahian said, addressing a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday.

He reiterated that the policy of using force to resolving the crisis in Yemen has proven useless and the situation continues to destabilize the Middle East, and said, "Saudi Arabian airstrikes in Yemen have increased extremism which will lead to an increase in the number of refugees fleeing the war-torn country for Europe."

Amir Abdollahian said that Saudi Arabia’s brute-force approach has triggered a surge in extremist activities in Yemen, adding, "We must raise global awareness of the Yemeni issue; if we don’t resolve it in time, the rise in terrorism and the stream of refugees coming to Europe will intensify."

He stressed there was a clear consensus between Iran and Russia on ending violence in the Middle East.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday that Moscow and Tehran recognize that a political settlement of the crises in Syria and Yemen is the only alternative to the civil wars that have so far killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions according to UN statistics.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran continues to help the Yemenis.

“Tehran is doing everything to help the Yemeni people,” Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that Iran will continue to deliver humanitarian aid to Yemen and supports dialogue between the two opposing sides in the conflict.

“We believe that it’s extremely necessary to lift the blockade in Yemen,” Amir-Abdollahian said during the press conference in Moscow.

The Iranian diplomat said Tehran supports the political consultations that are being held between the opposing parties with Oman as a mediator.

"Tehran will call for an end to bloodshed in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York later this month," Amir Abdollahian added.

"At the UN General Assembly, Iran is going to raise the issue of fighting terrorism and extremism, as well as draw attention to the urgent need to stop wars in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain," the diplomat said.

Amir Abdollahian also noted that Tehran has no forces in Syria, Iraq or Yemen, and said, "There are no military advisers from Iran in Yemen."

"We have not and are not supplying any weapons to Yemen," he added.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister, meantime, said that Tehran has sent military advisers to Syria and Iraq at the request of their governments in order to help battle terrorism.

On Sunday, Amir Abdollahian reiterated Tehran's call for the reinvigoration of the United Nations' efforts to lay the ground for immediate halt in the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on crisis-hit Yemen.

In a telephone conversation with UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Walad Sheikh Ahmed, Amir Abdollahian appreciated the UN secretary general and his envoy's efforts, saying the continued use of military force has harmed the inter-Yemeni negotiations under UN sponsorship.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran expects that on the verge of Eid al-Adha, the UN uses all within its might to stop war and bloodshed in Yemen," said the Iranian official, and called for acceleration of dispatching humanitarian aid to the war victims in Yemen.

"Lack of the UN success to stop the human plight in Yemen has damaged its credit in defending the International Humanitarian Law," Amir Abdollahian added.

The UN envoy, for his part, pointed to the latest steps to encourage inter-Yemeni talks and said the crisis in Yemen can only be settled through political solution.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham called on the UN not to remain silent on the Saudi-led coalition's attacks on non-military targets, including residence of the Omani ambassador to Sana'a.

Afkham condemned the coalition's attack on residential and diplomatic areas as clear violation of the international regulations supporting the immunity of diplomatic missions in other countries.

Afkham called on the international organizations, the United Nations in particular, to carry out their duty and immediately bring an end to the war and aggression of Saudi-led coalition forces on forbidden targets, including the residential areas and diplomatic places; FNA reported.

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