Aden (South24)

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Yemen’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mustafa Noman signaled the possibility of an alliance with the Iran-backed Houthi militia to confront the South and preserve Yemeni unity, in an interview to the Saudi’s Al Arabiya TV on Monday, December 22.

Speaking during the interview, monitored by South24 Center, Noman said: “Unionists within the ranks of legitimacy, if they see that legitimacy is under threat, and if they see an adversary [the Houthis] who also believes unity is under threat, what will they do? Could they not ally one day?”

He added: “In the end, such alliances are inevitable. There is a bloc that supports secession in the South, a bloc within the legitimacy camp that supports unity, and there is the Houthi bloc, which also supports unity.”

Noman argued that despite differing interpretations of unity between the internationally recognized government and the Houthis, an alliance would emerge between the two sides in defense of unity. “Blocs are forming, alliances are shifting, and the secessionists will find themselves facing everyone,” he said.

The remarks by Noman came in response to steps taken by the Southern Transitional Council following the securing of Hadramout and Al-Mahra governorates on December 3, and coincided with announcements by a number of Yemeni government ministries, state institutions, and provincial governors in South Yemen declaring their delegation of authority to STC President Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, and their support for the measures he is taking toward declaring a state in the South.

Mustafa Noman is a prominent political figure from North Yemen. He was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister in January 2025 by Rashad Al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council.

Both the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the United States designate the Houthi group as a terrorist organization. Washington reinstated the designation in January.

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led an international coalition, alongside the United Arab Emirates, in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthi takeover. Riyadh hosts Mustafa Noman and a number of senior Yemeni government officials.