Iran Asks UAE to Send Food, Medicine to Yemenis instead of Weapons

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian called on the UAE officials not to ruin their brotherly relations with Tehran through baseless allegations, and said Abu Dhabi had better send foodstuff and drugs for the Yemeni people instead of supplying weapons to those who kill them.

“We advise the UAE friends not to replace the brotherly and neighborly approach towards Iran with baseless allegations against Tehran,” Amir Abdollahian told FNA on Sunday.

“The UAE would be better off it sends food and drugs to the oppressed Yemeni people instead of weapons and help materialize strengthening the political process in Yemen and the region instead of reinvigorating the military approach,” he added.

Amir Abdollahian advised the UAE officials to play an active and constructive role to further develop all-out cooperation with Iran in trade and economic fields after the nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers clinched on July 14.

His remarks came after a US state department spokesperson said that the US and UAE foreign ministers in their meeting underlined the necessity for continued cooperation to confront what they called as Iran’s destabilizing behaviors in the region.

Amir Abdollahian described the US spokesperson’s remarks as interfering and unreal, and said that the Islamic Republic of Iran has shown the most constructive behaviors towards the regional events.

UAE is a member of the Saudi-led coalition which has launched a war against Yemen since 179 days ago, killing at least 6,096 Yemeni people.

A large number of Emirati people held rallies across the UAE earlier this month to shout protest against the country’s military operation in Yemen, urging Abu Dhabi to bring the military forces back home after they sustained tens of casualties in an attack in Maarib early September.

The Emirati protesters called on the UAE government to bring back home the troops before it becomes too late.

The UAE protests, which faced severe censorship in Abu Dhabi and western media outlets, condemned the UAE’s aggression against the Yemeni civilians, mostly children and women.

They called on Abu Dhabi to take immediate action to pave the way for the return of the UAE soldiers after the country’s army lost more than 65 soldiers in the Yemeni forces’ attack on Al-Safer military base in Maarib.