Yemen calls on int'l community to stop Iran’s destabilizing activities

ISTANBUL

Yemen called on the international community Thursday to take steps to stop actions by Iran that are undermining regional and international security.

“We call on int’l community, UN &SC permanent members to take a firm stand & steps to stop Iranian activities that destabilize regional & int’l peace & security, as a flagrant violation of int’l laws & resolutions & a blatant challenge to its efforts to impose peace in Yemen,” Yemeni Information Minister Moammar Al-Eryani said on Twitter.

Al-Eryani said that joint maritime forces led by the US Navy and the British Royal Navy managed to intercept seven arms smuggling actions in the last three months.

He added that during the operations, the forces seized 5,000 weapons, 1.6 million rounds of ammunition, 7,000 fuses for missiles, 2,100 kg of fuel used to launch rocket-propelled grenades and 30 anti-tank, guided missile and ballistic missile parts.

Iran’s escalated arms smuggling to Houthis

Underlining the Iranian government’s escalation of arms smuggling to the Houthi militia, Al-Eryani said it “confirms its intentions to abort int’l de-escalation efforts & restore truce, & undermining peace in Yemen, using militia as proxy to destabilize security & stability, spread chaos & terrorism & threaten int’l interests.”

He also praised the joint naval forces for their role in thwarting Iranian arms smuggling, urging support for Yemeni Coast Guard forces in their fight against terrorism and arms and drug smuggling as well as other illegal activities.

Earlier, the British navy said it stopped a small boat smuggling anti-tank missiles and ballistic missile parts heading from Iran likely to Yemen.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sana’a.