Yemeni foreign minister rejects Iran’s mediation offer, accuses Tehran of fueling war in Yemen

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - ADEN — Yemen’s Foreign Minister Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba has rejected Iran’s attempts to present itself as a mediator in Yemen, accusing Tehran of fueling the country’s conflict by arming and financing the Houthi militia while using Yemen as a bargaining chip in its regional confrontations.

In an opinion article published on her X account under the headline “The Tehran Regime Is a Party to the War on Yemenis, Not a Mediator,” Al-Zouba said Iran could not credibly offer to mediate a conflict that its own military and financial support had helped prolong.

“When Iran’s foreign minister and his officials offer ‘mediation’ in Yemen, they are offering to mediate a war ignited by the coup of the Houthi terrorist militia with their regime’s backing,” she wrote.

She accused Tehran of supplying the Houthis with missiles, drones, military expertise and financing, saying the Iranian government should withdraw its support for the militia, respect Yemen’s sovereignty and comply with international law rather than offer mediation.

The Yemeni foreign minister described Tehran’s statements as a provocation to Yemenis and the families of victims killed by what she called Iranian weapons.

She said the Houthis had intensified their attacks, targeting Yemen’s Presidential and Government headquarters in the interim capital Aden and its airport, besieging Taiz and shelling residential neighborhoods, attacking civilians in Marib and other governorates, and striking airports and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Zouba also accused Iran of using the Houthi militia to threaten international navigation and destabilize regional security.

She said Tehran’s mediation proposals came as the Houthis continued to reject regional and international peace efforts, including the roadmap presented by Saudi Arabia to revive the political process.

According to the minister, the militia had exploited opportunities for de-escalation to regroup and strengthen its weapons arsenal.

“None of this can be separated from the Iranian regime’s attempts to use Yemen as a bargaining chip,” she said, arguing that Tehran was shifting the consequences of international pressure against it onto Yemen and neighboring countries.

Al-Zouba rejected Iran’s description of the Houthis as the “Yemeni armed forces,” stressing that the militia did not represent Yemen or possess the legitimacy to make decisions on behalf of its people.

She said Tehran’s dealings with the Houthis granted the group neither legitimacy nor the right to represent Yemen, while Iranian claims that the militia acted independently did not absolve Tehran of responsibility for arming and enabling it.

The minister also rejected attempts to use calls for lifting restrictions as a justification for obstructing the enforcement of the international arms embargo on the Houthis.

Al-Zouba reaffirmed Yemen’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, its leadership, government and people, and supported the Kingdom’s right under international law to defend its security and protect its citizens and residents.

“The security of our two countries is interconnected,” she said.

She praised Saudi Arabia as a steadfast supporter of Yemen, citing the Kingdom’s economic, humanitarian and development assistance, while accusing Iran of deepening Yemeni suffering by continuing to arm the Houthis and support their attacks.