Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council announced, on Friday, its approval to return a delegation belonging to the Houthi group from the Iranian capital, Tehran, to Sana’a via a chartered plane operated by Yemenia Airways.
The decision came during an extraordinary meeting held by the Council, chaired by the Head of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, and attended by its members and the Prime Minister, to discuss local and regional developments, foremost of which was a request submitted by Iran to operate a flight belonging to the Iranian “Mahan” airline from Tehran to Sana’a to return Houthi elements who had been previously transported from Sana’a airport.
The Council stated that the Iranian flight, which took place on July 3, constituted a violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen, and a transgression of international law and Security Council resolutions, emphasizing that any arrangements regarding Sana’a airport must be made through the national carrier and within the approved legal frameworks.
It noted that Yemenia Airways remains ready to resume commercial flights from Sana’a airport to the Jordanian capital, Amman, and other destinations, provided that the necessary guarantees are supplied to protect planes and crews, and that there is no interference in the company’s management or its operational processes.
During the meeting, the Council reviewed what it described as government efforts aimed at keeping Sana’a airport open to civilian flights, pointing out that these efforts included initiatives to operate regular flights via Yemenia Airways with the aim of alleviating the suffering of citizens.
The Council accused the Houthi group of obstructing the work of the national carrier, pointing to its seizure of four planes belonging to Yemenia Airways in 2024, and the subsequent damage caused to the company’s fleet, according to the statement.
The Leadership Council confirmed that the government and the armed forces will take the necessary political, diplomatic, and military measures to prevent any arrangements that represent a violation of Yemeni sovereignty, or impose a new reality through operating flights outside of legal frameworks.
The Council also held Iran and the Houthi group responsible for any repercussions that might result from the continuation of what it described as foreign interference, calling on Tehran to respect Yemen’s sovereignty and to stop using its territories as an arena for regional conflicts.
