WASHINGTON: The United States (US) called Tuesday on Iran to help end Yemen’s crisis by supporting a peace process, one year following a truce that reduced fighting in the country.
Tehran, which backs Huthi, who has held much of the country, last month announced a key reconciliation agreement with Riyadh, which led an overwhelming air drive to boost Yemen’s government.
Washington urges Tehran to support political process in Yemen
The US special diplomat for Yemen Timothy Lenderking said that if Iran wants to demonstrate that they are really turning a corner on the crisis, then there would not be smuggling of arms to the Huthis anymore in violation of UNSC resolutions,”.
“We also would like to see Iran shows support for the political solution in Yemen” he added. Lenderking noted that Tehran welcomed the ceasefire one year ago. The agreement lapsed in October, in part over Huthi asks for payments to civil servants in areas under their influence, but fighting has not assumed at a significant level.
He added, “We are asking the parties to grab this opportunity, realizing that an accord will need compromises from all parties in the country,”.
Nearly a decade of conflict has claimed hundreds of thousands of people’s lives, both directly and indirectly, with most of the population depending on aid to survive.
US President Joe Biden took office pledging a greater priority on ending the conflict, following his predecessor Trump’s staunch military support for Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-Iran deal was announced by Beijing, playing an unusually noticeable role in a region where the US has long been the top power, AFP reported.
The US has had no diplomatic ties with Tehran since its 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western King.
