[10/07/2026 06:14]

RIYADH - SABA
The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC)held an extraordinary meeting chaired by His Excellency President Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, the Chairman of the Council, with the presence of all its members Sultan al-Aradah, Tariq Saleh, Abdulrahman al-Mahrami, Dr. Abdullah al-Alimi, Othman Majli, Mahmoud al-Subaihi and Salem Al-Khanbashi to discuss national and regional developments and the proposed policies to address them at all levels. The Prime Minister Dr. Shaya Zindani was in attendance.

The PLC discussed the request submitted by Iran through the leadership of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen. This request was for a flight by the Iranian company "Mahan" from Tehran to Sana'a to return Houthi militia members who had previously been transported from Sana'a airport, which is under militia control, on July 3, 2026.

This flight represented a clear violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen and a blatant challenge to international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.

The Leadership Council reviewed, in this context, all the initiatives presented by the government to ensure the continuation of civilian flights through Sana'a Airport via Yemen Airways, primarily the operation of regular flights between Sana'a and the Jordanian capital Amman, which helps ease the suffering of citizens, similar to what is practiced at other Yemeni airports under state management.

The Council stated that these humanitarian efforts were met with unilateral measures by the Houthi terrorist militias, most notably the seizure of four planes belonging to Yemen Airways in 2024, and the disruption of the national company's operations, before their military adventures dragged the country into regional conflicts, destroyed those planes, and caused severe damage to the resources of the Yemeni people.

The Council confirmed that despite these practices, the government continued to present initiatives aimed at operating commercial flights through Yemenia Airlines to facilitate passenger movement and ease their humanitarian suffering. However, the Houthi militias rejected these initiatives and insisted on disrupting the national carrier, in a move aimed at strangling and besieging the Yemeni people and worsening their suffering, while replacing Yemenia Airlines with the Iranian company "Mahan" to operate flights between Sana’a and Tehran—a step that serves only the Iranian agenda, entrenches Yemen as a ground for cross-border blackmail, and exploits the resources of the Yemeni people to benefit militia leaders and families and their destructive project.

The Council also reiterated to the Yemeni people, especially citizens in areas forcibly controlled by the Houthi militias, that Yemen Airways is fully ready to resume commercial flights from Sana'a Airport to the Jordanian capital Amman and to any other destinations that may be agreed upon, as soon as guarantees are provided to protect the planes and their crews and prevent any interference in the company’s operations or flights.

The Council also discussed the possibility of returning Houthi elements using a plane rented by Yemen Airways, as it is the only national carrier, instead of relying on a foreign airline that serves the interests of the Houthi militias and those behind them.

The PLC has confirmed that the government and the armed forces will take all political, diplomatic and military measures allowed by the constitution and international law to prevent any new attempt to violate the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen or impose a fait accompli by flying Iranian flights to Sana'a Airport outside the approved legal frameworks, holding Iran and the Houthi militias fully responsible for any consequences that may result from the continued violations.

The Council also reiterated its call to Iran to stop interfering in the internal affairs of the Republic of Yemen, respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop using Yemen as a ground for regional conflicts and avoid worsening the suffering of the Yemeni people or undermining the opportunities for peace and stability that all Yemenis aspire to.

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