Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Multiple Iranian statements emerged today regarding the escalating military tension in Yemen between the Houthi group on one side and the government alongside the Saudi-led coalition on the other.
The commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Esmail Qaani, warned Saudi Arabia against a scenario similar to what he described as the “costly American experience,” declaring his support for the Houthi group’s demands calling for lifting the blockade.
Qaani said, in statements reported by the Iranian “Tasnim” agency, that lifting the blockade imposed on Yemen is a “just and humanitarian demand,” expressing his hope that Riyadh would move toward ending this blockade and drawing lessons from the American experience, while demanding that it play a role in supporting Gaza instead of escalating the war in Yemen.
In a related context, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared more inclined toward de-escalation in his statements; he rejected linking the Houthi escalation to Tehran, noting that the actions taken by the group come within the framework of attempts at what they describe as “breaking the blockade,” and emphasizing that successive wars have proven that the military option leads only to further complexity.
The Iranian Foreign Minister reiterated his country’s position calling for diplomacy, noting that Iran is prepared to contribute constructively to any Yemeni-Saudi dialogue path, and pointing out that “the crisis can be addressed through dialogue without the need for escalation or military confrontations.”
Yemen witnessed a striking escalation in military conditions on Saturday, following the Houthi group’s announcement targeting energy facilities in Saudi Arabia with dozens of missiles and drones, while the Yemeni army announced conducting airstrikes against Houthi barracks across several governorates.
