Iran slams continued Saudi-led war, says there’s ‘no military solution’ for Yemen

In a statement on Tuesday marking the 7th anniversary of the Yemen war, the Iranian Foreign Ministry vehemently denounced the continuation of the Saudi-led military onslaught against the innocent Yemeni nation.

“Over the past six years, the siege and military aggression have targeted 24 million people in Yemen. Dozens of people die on a daily basis as a result of bombings, starvation, diseases, lack of medicine and fuel shortages in medical centers. What is even worse is that the brutal aggression and cowardly siege has not stopped for a single moment, even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement read.

“What is happening in Yemen, according to figures disclosed by international bodies and even some political and military sponsors of the inhumane aggression, includes all kinds of crimes,” the statement added, calling on relevant international bodies and all true advocates of freedom and human rights to bring an international prosecution against those responsible for the crimes.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry then cast doubt on the purported decision of US President Joe Biden’s administration to end support for the bloody Saudi-led offensives in Yemen.

“Despite numerous claims that support for the aggression has ceased, the sale of weapons to the invading coalition and even technical support required for such munitions continue unabated. Military experts from some countries also partner Saudis in crimes against Yemeni people and their carnage,” the statement pointed out.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry underscored that enforcement of a nationwide ceasefire and removal of the Saudi-led blockade will put an end to the deteriorating humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, and will pave the ground for inter-Yemeni dialogue.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, since the onset of the Yemen war, has reiterated that there is no military solution to the conflict. Iran supports any peace initiative, which would include ending the [Saudi-led] aggression, a nationwide ceasefire, ending occupation, lifting the economic blockade and restarting political talks, and would present an opportunity for Yemenis to shape their own political future,” the statement said.

Saudi Arabia, backed by the US and Riyadh’s other allies, launched a devastating military campaign on Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing Yemen’s former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing the popular Ansarullah movement.

The Yemeni armed forces and allied popular groups have, however, gone from strength to strength against the Saudi-led invaders, and left Riyadh and its allies bogged down in the country.

On Monday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud presented a so-called peace initiative to end the crisis, which would include reopening Sana’a airport, and allow fuel and food imports through Hudaydah port – both of which are under the control of the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The top Saudi diplomat told a news conference that political negotiations between representatives of the Saudi-backed Hadi government and Ansarullah movement would be restarted as well.

Al Saud said the initiative would take effect when accepted by the Yemeni sides.

Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the spokesman for Ansarullah, said afterwards that the initiative provided “nothing new,” as it still fell short of his group’s demand for a complete lifting of the blockade on Sana’a airport and Hudaydah port.