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Iran backing united Yemen in fighting terror: Diplomat

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs

Iran supports a Yemeni government which is united in the fight against terrorism, a senior Iranian diplomat says.

The Islamic Republic of Iran backs a Yemeni government which works toward “national unity, [Yemeni] people’s welfare, and the region’s security and stability”, interacts constructively with its neighbors and is “a strong and united country in the fight against terrorism and extremism,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told Fars news agency on Sunday. 

On February 6, Yemen’s Houthi movement dissolved the Yemeni parliament and announced a constitutional declaration on the Transitional National Council following weeks of clashes with government forces. The Ansarullah revolutionaries say the Yemeni government has been incapable of properly running the affairs of the country and providing security.

The United Nations Special Adviser on Yemen Jamal Benomar announced on Friday that the opposing sides in Yemen’s conflict have agreed on the formation of a democratic transitional council, which will be tasked with making efforts to end the chaos in the Arab country.

The development in the Arab country marked a “breakthrough that paves the way towards a comprehensive agreement,” he added.

“The Islamic republic of Iran backs Yemen’s national unity, national and effective dialog between all parties and the completion of the political process” in the country, the Iranian diplomat said.

On Saturday, Yemen's ex-President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi issued a statement after he left Sana’a for Yemen’s southern city of Aden, dismissing all measures taken by the Houthi movement after the Shia revolutionaries gained control of the capital.

“Yemen’s Ansarullah [movement] takes significant steps on the three fronts of fighting corruption, fighting terrorism and the completion of the political process” in order to ensure stability and security in the country, the Iranian diplomat said.

He also said that UN special envoy to Yemen has played a “positive role” in ending the chaos in the country.

Amir-Abdollahian further criticized some regional and western countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Britain and France for closing embassies in Sana’a over alleged security reasons.

“There is [an] acceptable [level of] security in Yemen and the closure of some embassies in this country has been a hasty move which runs counter to domestic, regional and international efforts” aimed at resolving the country’s problems.

In September 2014, the Ansarullah fighters gained control of Sana’a after Yemeni political parties failed to put aside their differences and fill the power vacuum.

The Houthi movement played a key role in the popular revolution that forced former Yemeni dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh to quit after 33 years of rule.

IA/NN/HRB


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