Iran’s Foreign Ministry voiced approval of the agreements that the Yemeni warring parties reached during the United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Sweden, describing them as good grounds to expect a final accord.
“The positive confidence-building measures by the two sides and their initial agreements promise continued peace talks,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying on Thursday by the ministry’s official website.
A violent conflict has been raging in Yemen for nearly four years between the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and the ousted president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who is militarily supported by a Saudi-led coalition.
The devastating war has killed thousands of people and pushed the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula to the verge of famine.
After a failed attempt in September, the UN eventually managed to bring the two sides to the negotiating table where they agreed to cease fighting for the port city of Hodeida and withdraw the troops, reopen Sanaa airport in the Houthi-held capital and resume oil and gas exports.
The port of Hodeida and Sanaa airport are both key humanitarian corridors for millions of Yemenis facing starvation.
The World Food Program said the Hodeida deal was a much-needed boost for its task of feeding 12 million severely hungry Yemenis, Reuters reported.
“The agreement shows that Yemeni groups in the talks have recognized the deplorable conditions of the oppressed people of Yemen and … have preferred the provision of humanitarian aid to their factional interests,” Qasemi said.
Qasemi hoped that ports and airports of the impoverished country will be prepared in due time for the transfer of humanitarian aid to alleviate the Yemenis’ pain and suffering.
“We hope that the agreements will be implemented within the set timeframe and pave the way for other rounds of negotiations in the near future to reach a final truce,” he said.
Ultimate Solution
While politically backing the Houthis, Iran has been a firm advocate of intra-Yemeni talks and believes it is the only viable way out of the crisis.
In 2015, Iran’s Foreign Ministry prepared and submitted a four-point plan to address the situation that calls for an immediate ceasefire and end of all foreign military attacks, humanitarian assistance, a resumption of broad national dialogue and establishment of an inclusive national unity government.
According to Qasemi, Iran maintains its stance outlined in the plan and believes the ultimate solution to the Yemeni crisis is “a halt to war and bloodshed and the continuation of Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue”.
He also stressed that Iran, as part of its responsible approach toward regional crises, has played a constructive role in the arrangement of intra-Yemeni talks in Sweden.
Federica Mogherini, European Union foreign policy chief, had also pointed out in a recent press conference that Iran has used its influence on the Houthis to help initiate discussions in Sweden.
Apart from Iran, western nations, some of which supply arms and intelligence to the Saudi-led coalition, had pressed the two sides to agree on a political process to end the war.
The one-week Yemeni talks ended on Thursday and another round of consultations is expected in early 2019
