Yemen: Houthi officials meet Iran’s new envoy in Sanaa

Senior officials in the Houthi-supported Supreme Political Council (SPC) and National Salvation Government (NSG) of Yemen met with Iran’s recently appointed Ambassador to Sanaa, Hasan Irlu, yesterday.

Sultan Al-Sami, a member of the council which is the executive body in the internationally-unrecognised Yemeni government, held discussions with the Iranian diplomat regarding the two countries’ growing ties and ways to enhance them to serve their common interests. According to Saba news agency, the SPC member expressed his country’s appreciation for Tehran’s support for Yemen against the Saudi-led war of aggression and the on-going coalition-imposed siege.

For his part, Irlu condemned the actions of the Saudi-led coalition and said “it is necessary to stop the war and blockade and help the Yemeni nation”.

Separate meetings were also held with SPC adviser Abdulaziz Al-Tarb and governor of Abyan province, Hussein Zaid Bin Yahya.

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Speaking to the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen news channel, Irlu stated: “They [enemies] do not like that relations between Iran and Yemen are based on respect and equality.”

“They are trying, through their media, to strip the ambassador of his diplomatic status. They use disinformation and lies, and they say that Sanaa is Iran’s tool,” he said.

Referencing the US elections, Irlu said if Donald Trump loses Iran’s enemies will become “orphans” especially amid some suggestions that the incoming administration under Joe Biden will look to end support for the Saudi campaign in Yemen.

Last month, ahead of Irlu’s appointment, the NSG’s Foreign Minister, Hisham Sharaf, expressed hopes for stronger ties with Tehran, noting that “Iran’s position calling for an end to the aggression and blockade imposed on Yemen is appreciated by the Yemeni people.”

According to the Tehran Times, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said last week that relations between Iran and Yemen were “good and strategic” and noted that although Tehran had an embassy in Sanaa, it was not possible to travel to it for a while, but they had maintained an ambassador there – Irlu’s predecessor who reportedly returned home due to illness.

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