Iran Calls on Saudis to Accept Yemen’s Offer of Truce


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry urged the government of Saudi Arabia to accept a proposal from Yemen’s National Salvation Government for a ceasefire and stop the military aggression against the Yemeni nation.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Sunday voiced Tehran’s support for the Yemeni proposal for a halt to the launch of missiles and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia in exchange for an end to the Saudi attacks on Yemen.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the Yemeni National Salvation Government’s proposal and considers it to be in favor of establishment of stability and security in the region,” the spokesperson said.

“Although the proposal has been welcomed internationally, sadly, Saudi Arabia is still seeking to fan the flames and continues to bombard different parts of Yemen,” Mousavi deplored.

“We encourage the Saudi government to accept this offer, and we support any measure for the establishment of ceasefire and an end to the cruel war against the Yemeni nation, and regard this (truce offer) as an important step in restoring peace and stability to the region,” the spokesperson added, IFP reported.

On Friday, President of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council Mahdi al-Mashat said the Houthi forces would end all attacks on Saudi Arabia provided that the kingdom and its allies ended their attacks on Yemen.

He also hoped that “the gesture would be answered by a stronger gesture” from the Saudis.

The Houthi proposal came a week after Yemeni strikes on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations, which knocked out half of the kingdom’s production.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out deadly airstrikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.