Yemen FM: Iran encouraging Houthis to prolong war

Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr. Shaya al-Zindani accused the Iran-backed Houthi militias of obstructing the efforts of United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg to achieve peace in the country.

1news.media informs in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, he said the militants were seeking to stoke chaos in Yemen, while the peace process is effectively frozen because Iran is pushing the Houthis to reject peace and prolong the war.

“Unfortunately, as part of the government, we do not sense that the Houthis have a desire to achieve peace and end the war. They live for war,” he added.

The legitimate government “has agreed to all initiatives that have been presented by friends and brothers, but the Houthis have not been receptive to them.”

He blamed Iran for encouraging the Houthis to maintain their intransigence.

“The Houthis don’t believe in peace or national partnership; they don’t even have a political platform,” he charged.

“They are a close-minded group that operates according to its sectarian ideology, and it believes it has the right to rule the Yemeni people,” the FM told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The military option against the Houthis will “always remain on the table” as long as Yemen continues to be threatened, he added.