[17/10/2026 05:41]

ADEN - SABA
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Afrah al-Zouba condemned the recent statements by the Iranian Foreign Minister and officials in his ministry regarding what Tehran called "mediation" in Yemen, affirming that these statements do not cover the Iranian regime's responsibility for supporting the Houthi militia coup that sparked the war, and for prolonging it by arming, financing, training the militia, and supplying it with missiles, drones, and experts.

The minister said in a statement to the Yemeni News Agency (Saba): "Tehran has made itself a party in the war against Yemenis by arming and funding the Houthi terrorist militia. Instead of offering to mediate, its government should stop interfering in Yemen, respect the sovereignty of countries and adhere to international law and the principles of good neighborliness".

She considered these statements a provocative to the Yemeni people and the families of hundreds of thousands of victims of Iranian weapons, especially as they coincide with the militia's escalation and attacks—from targeting the presidential and government headquarters in the temporary capital, Aden, and its airport, to sieging Taiz, shelling its residential neighborhoods, targeting civilians in Marib and other governorates, and attacks on the airports and civilian facilities of Saudi Arabia as well as threats to international navigation.

She remarked that Tehran is offering its "mediation", while the militia it backs has refused to respond to international and regional efforts, including the roadmap presented by our brothers in Saudi Arabia to return to the political track. It took advantage of ceasefire opportunities to reorganize its ranks and boost its military arsenal, amid efforts by the Iranian regime to use Yemen as a bargaining chip and turn the pressures faced by it into attacks that the region’s people, trade, and global markets have to bear the cost of.

The minister rejected Tehran's attempts to give the militia the status of representing Yemen and to call them the 'Yemeni Armed Forces,' portraying Yemenis' battle to end the coup and restore their state as a 'conflict' between Yemen and the kingdom.
She emphasized that Tehran's dealings with the coup militia do not grant them legitimacy or the right to represent Yemen, nor does it give the Iranian regime the authority over Yemen's national decision.

She added that claims that the militia acts according to its own interests and assessments do not absolve Tehran from the consequences of arming it and enabling it to commit its crimes. The security of Yemen and its neighbors will not be left at the mercy of a terrorist group armed by the Revolutionary Guard.

The minister rejected using the slogan 'lifting the blockade' as an excuse to obstruct the enforcement of the arms embargo.
The minister also reiterated the full solidarity of the Republic of Yemen with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in terms of leadership, government and people, and affirmed its legitimate right, under international law, to defend its security and protect its citizens and residents.

She emphasized that the security of the two countries is interconnected and that the Kingdom has always supported Yemen, both as a state and as a people, through economic, humanitarian and developmental aid. Meanwhile, the Iranian regime continued to arm the militia and support its attacks, worsening the suffering of Yemenis and undermining the chances of restoring their security and stability.

The minister also recalled what the Iranian regime did, including accepting a representative of the militia in November 2019 and handing over the Yemeni diplomatic premises in Tehran, smuggling a Revolutionary Guard officer to Sana’a in October 2020 and appointing him as the 'ambassador' to the militia, and even operating flights to Sana’a Airport in July 2026 without the approval of the legitimate government.

This behavior reflects a gang-like approach and goes against the rules of interaction between states. She considered these practices, which continued even after cutting ties with Tehran in October 2015, a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen and a clear breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The minister emphasized that Yemen makes a distinction between the great Iranian people, who share historical and civilizational ties with the Yemeni people and the peoples of the region, and the policies of their regime, which depletes the country's wealth to fund and arm its proxies and militias to destabilize the region, at the expense of the Iranians' sustenance and rights, while suppressing and intimidating them.

She expressed her solidarity with the Iranians in their aspiration for security, dignity, and prosperity, hoping that their country's resources would be used for their development, making them partners with their neighbors in growth and cooperation; after all, historical and geographical facts require coexistence and good neighborliness, and make regional stability a shared interest and a collective responsibility.

The minister called on the international community to firmly confront Iranian interventions in Yemen, support the legitimate government in restoring state institutions and extending its authority across the entire national territory according to the three agreed-upon references, take practical measures to designate the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization, cut off its funding sources and hold its financiers accountable, and enforce the arms embargo against it under UN Security Council Resolutions 2216 and 2624.

---