Iran Says Riyadh Proposal “Is A Permanent War Project”
The Saudi Arabian authorities have stressed that “the ball is in the court of the Houthis” after their proposal for a ceasefire in Yemen, rejected by the rebels, before pointing to the “overwhelmingly positive” support given by the international community to the Riyadh’s stance.
“It is necessary that they appear clearly and accept the Saudi initiative,” said the permanent representative of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, Abdullah al Mualimi, who has asked the Houthis not to “give priority to the interests of external parties – apparently reference to Iran – but to the interests of the Yemeni people. “
Thus, he has highlighted in an interview with the Saudi daily ‘Arab News’ that there are “statements of support from many countries” and has opted to “translate this impulse into actions on the ground and steps taken by the Houthis in response to the international call for peace”.
Al Mualimi has therefore demanded that the rebels “avoid procrastination and stop looking for excuses” and has argued that “the only party that will suffer as a result of a postponement of the peace process is the Yemeni people.” “If the Houthis are concerned about the Yemeni people, they should step up and negotiate in good faith with their Yemeni partners in government to achieve an equitable solution,” he said.
However, he has avoided commenting on the consequences of a Houthis’ refusal to respond to the Saudi proposal and has stressed that Riyadh “is trying to achieve a positive response.” “We do not want to use statements that can be perceived as threats or ultimatums because we believe that the Houthis should go positively to the negotiating table,” he has settled.
On his side, Hasan Irlu, Iran’s ambassador to the capital of Yemen, Sana’a, has rejected the Saudi proposal and stressed that “it is a permanent war project”, thus reiterating his support for the Houthis. “He will maintain the occupation and war crimes and will not achieve the end of the war,” he said through his account on the social network Twitter.
Irlu has argued that “a true initiative implies that the war ends, the blockade is lifted, the occupation ends, the Saudi military forces are withdrawn, the mercenaries and the ‘takfiri’ cease to be financed and armed, and the Yemeni political dialogue is held. no foreign interference, “according to the Iranian Tasnim news agency.
Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdul Salam said on Monday that Riyadh’s proposal will be rejected as “any initiative that does not warn that Yemen has been the target of aggression and blockade for six years and separates the humanitarian side of any military or political pact is not serious nor new “.
For its part, the internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, applauded Riyadh’s proposal on Tuesday and accused the Houthis of “prolonging the humanitarian crisis” in the Asian country.
The war in Yemen pits the internationally recognized government, led by Abdo Rabbu Mansur Hadi and supported by an international coalition led by Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis, backed by Iran.
The rebels control Sanaa and other areas in the north and west of the country. The conflict has escalated on several fronts in recent months, despite international mediation efforts, in a war that has caused what is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
