National
0

Cash-Strapped Riyadh Seeking to Quit Yemen War

Cash-Strapped Riyadh Seeking to Quit Yemen War
Cash-Strapped Riyadh Seeking to Quit Yemen War

Iran's former envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation highlighted the Saudi government's economic problems and said Riyadh is seeking to create a proper atmosphere to get out of its costly war on Yemen.

"The war [on Yemen] is naturally a serious structural threat to Saudi Arabia and its budget, given the plummeting oil prices and its budget deficit," Sabah Zanganeh, an expert on Middle East developments, said in a recent interview with Tasnim News Agency.

Recent remarks made by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on abandoning the war on Yemen indicates attempts at creating a "proper psychological atmosphere" to end the war, the former diplomat said.

Bin Salman has told two former American officials that he "wants out" of the two-year war he started in Yemen, and that he is not against US rapprochement with Iran, according to leaked emails published by the Middle East Eye.

The leaks pertain to discussions he held on the Middle East with Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel, and Steven Hadley, who served as US national security advisor during George W Bush's presidency.

The conversation took place at least one month before Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar, accusing it of trying to undermine their war in Yemen and for having friendly relations with Iran.

Yemen's defenseless people have been under massive attacks by a coalition led by Riyadh for more than two years, but Saudis have not achieved any of its objectives in Yemen so far.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out deadly, indiscriminate airstrikes on civilians in an attempt to restore power to fugitive president, Abd-Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.

Over 12,000 Yemenis, including thousands of women and children, have lost their lives in the deadly military campaign.

 

Add new comment

Read our comment policy before posting your viewpoints

Financialtribune.com