ADEN: The internationally recognized government of Yemen formally demanded on Monday that Iran immediately halt its supply of weapons to Houthi militias, withdraw its deployed military experts, and cease all interference in the nation’s internal affairs. Riyadh and Aden accused Tehran of deliberately prolonging the armed conflict while offering political and diplomatic cover to the insurgent group.
In an official statement published on X early Monday, Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs strongly condemned recent remarks made by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, which had accused Saudi Arabia of violating Yemeni sovereignty and criticized airstrikes targeting civilian infrastructure.
The Aden-based ministry labeled Tehran’s assertions as a transparent maneuver to provide “political and media cover for the terrorist Houthi militias,” while shirking accountability for exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and protracting the war.
The Yemeni administration asserted that Iranian involvement has expanded far beyond foundational financial backing, arms supply, and tactical training, evolving into direct operational planning and strategic management of Houthi military actions.
“The Ministry regards this pairing of military support on the ground with diplomatic cover in international forums as further evidence of the true nature of the Iranian role in undermining the Yemeni state and threatening the security of the region and its waterways,” the official statement emphasized.
Presence of Iranian Military Experts
Highlighting actionable intelligence, the ministry referenced a prior announcement by the Yemeni Ministry of Interior revealing that 21 foreign technical experts are actively embedded with the Houthis. This contingent includes 14 operatives from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and 7 specialists from Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
According to government findings, their core responsibilities encompass command and control, operational management, ballistic missile deployment, drone warfare, electronic countermeasures, military-component smuggling, and the coordination of maritime assaults—including the selection of commercial shipping targets.
The ministry characterized their continuous presence as constituting “a fully-fledged general staff,” noting that their operational footprint extends well beyond routine instruction into direct supervision, battlefield planning, and tactical command.
“Yemenis pay the price with their lives, their security and their livelihoods,” the statement lamented.
The Yemeni government further denounced Tehran for enabling the Houthis to persist in abducting, killing, and terrorizing civilians, bombarding populated cities, and enforcing blockades that starve local populations.
Accusations were also leveled against the militant group for launching persistent attacks targeting Saudi territory, commercial shipping lanes, and vital maritime navigation routes across the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
Controversy Over Civilian Casualties
The escalating diplomatic friction follows an Iranian Foreign Ministry statement condemning airstrikes that hit the Al-Hadara public market in Taiz province’s Al-Wazi’iyah district on November 6, alongside raids affecting Al-Shariyah village in the Bani Hashish district east of Sanaa.
Tehran claimed that the market strikes resulted in 33 fatalities—including 13 children—and numerous injuries, while a comparable death toll was reported in Al-Shariyah. The Iranian administration also decried attacks targeting personnel affiliated with Yemen’s Al-Masirah television network.
Characterizing these military operations as flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, Tehran demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities and the lifting of economic and aerial blockades against Yemen. Furthermore, Iran called for a political resolution between Saudi Arabia and Yemen via structured dialogue based on previously established roadmaps.
Rejecting Tehran’s narrative, the Yemeni Foreign Ministry accused the Iranian regime of exploiting the casualties of the Al-Hadara market incident to advance false allegations that contradict official reports from competent local authorities.
The ministry noted that official authorities have formally called for independent, impartial investigations into all alleged violations of human rights and international law attributed to the Houthis.
Arms Embargo and Comparison of Aid
Invoking United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216 and Resolution 2624—which broadened the international arms embargo to designate the Houthis as an explicit entity—the ministry underscored that prohibitions comprehensively cover military hardware, technical assistance, tactical training, and financial backing.
The Yemeni government urged Tehran to respect regional state sovereignty, abandon its sponsorship of proxy armed groups, and redirect its national resources toward uplifting the domestic living standards of its own citizens rather than funding regional smuggling networks.
Contrasting external interventions, the statement juxtaposed Iran’s supply of destructive munitions with Saudi Arabia’s robust humanitarian and developmental assistance programs, alongside vital support extended to millions of Yemeni expatriates residing in the Kingdom.
“Throughout twelve years of a war ignited by the Houthi militia with its backing, the Iranian regime has offered the Yemeni people nothing but missiles, suicide drones, explosive-laden boats and experts of destruction,” the ministry stated.
Conversely, the ministry praised Saudi Arabia for providing “invaluable relief, humanitarian and development assistance,” alongside essential economic infrastructure that sustains millions of displaced or expatriate Yemeni families.
Concluding its address, the Yemeni Foreign Ministry reiterated that true respect for national sovereignty requires Iran to completely halt its arms shipments, withdraw its military advisers, and end meddling in Yemen’s internal affairs.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com