Aden (South24 Center)

Yemeni Foreign Minister Shaya Al-Zindani has accused Iran of pushing the Houthi group to obstruct the efforts of UN envoy Hans Grundberg, in order to keep the country trapped in war and chaos. Al-Zindani stated that the political process is largely frozen due to this external interference.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper on August 17, Al-Zindani noted that ongoing discussions at the UN Security Council regarding new resolutions on Yemen reflect a growing conviction among some member states that Resolution 2216 is no longer applicable in its current form. He suggested that any new resolutions would complement it, focusing on unified measures against the Houthis.

The minister attributed the recent improvement in the exchange rate of the Yemeni rial to coordination among state institutions and strict measures taken by the Central Bank against speculators. He indicated that additional reform steps would be implemented soon.

On the peace process, Al-Zindani emphasized that the government has responded positively to all UN and regional initiatives, but the Houthis show no willingness to end the war. He added that Iran plays a central role in maintaining the group's rigid stance and rejecting any political settlement.

Al-Zindani warned that the international community has not dealt with the arms smuggling issue seriously enough, pointing out that Iran has supplied the Houthis with drones, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons despite UN resolutions. He noted that the absence of deterrent measures since 2016 has allowed this phenomenon to escalate.

Regarding the recent seizure of a shipment at Aden port containing drones and advanced equipment within a commercial consignment from China, Al-Zindani affirmed that Yemen's relations with Beijing are historic and strong, and that the Yemeni government would investigate the shipment's origin before raising the issue with Chinese authorities.

In a related development, Al-Zindani met on the same day with U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Yemen Jonathan Peccia to discuss bilateral relations and ways to enhance them.

According to Saba News Agency, the minister stressed the importance of the U.S.’ role in supporting economic and humanitarian stability, backing recent government reforms, and cooperating in counterterrorism, arms smuggling prevention, and regional security enhancement.