Iran, Hezbollah Review Latest Developments in Yemen

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi and Hezbollah Leader Seyed Hassan Nasrallah conferred on the latest regional developments, specially in the crisis-hit Yemen.

Sarmadi and Nasrallah exchanged views on various regional developments, including the current situation in Yemen.

Also during the meeting in which Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Mohammad Fathali was present, Sarmadi briefed Nasrallah on the outcome of the nuclear talks between Tehran and the world powers which ended in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2 with releasing a joint statement.

Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 15 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed nearly 1,000 people, including hundreds of women and children.

Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.

Despite Riyadh’s claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.

Five Persian Gulf States — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait — and Egypt that are also assisted by Israel and backed by the US declared war on Yemen in a joint statement issued on March 26.

US President Barack Obama authorized the provision of logistical and intelligence support to the military operations, National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said late on March 25.

She added that while US forces were not taking direct military action in Yemen, Washington was establishing a Joint Planning Cell with Saudi Arabia to coordinate US military and intelligence support.