Iranian Deputy FM, UN Special Envoy Discuss Crisis in Yemen

(FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in a telephone conversation with UN Special Envoy on Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed voiced Tehran's readiness to dispatch humanitarian aid to the Arab country.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to take any action needed for the delivery of humanitarian aids to the oppressed and defenseless people of Yemen," Amir Abdollahian said during the phone talk.

Amir Abdollahian and Cheikh Ahmed also discussed the latest developments in Yemen.

"The Saudi aggression against Yemen and its oppressed and defenseless people is unacceptable and the UN and international relief organization should launch efforts to put an immediate end to the ongoing crisis in Yemen," Amir Abdollahian said.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister urged the UN to take effective, explicit and deterrent actions against the Saudis' blatant aggression and massacre of the defenseless Yemeni people which violates the international laws.

Cheikh Ahmed, for his part, pointed to the constructive cooperation between the UN and Iran as well as the Islamic Republic's crucial role in regional developments, and said, "The UN is consulting with Iran to help resolve the regional problems."

He also reiterated the UN's insistence on durable ceasefire, comprehensive national talks and dispatch of humanitarian aid to Yemen.

Amir Abdollahian contacted UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos on Sunday and asked for the immediate dispatch of relief aid to Yemen and the presence of a UN representative in the Arab country.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran expects UN Special Envoy on Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed to visit the (Arab) country and try to prevent the attacks and deterioration of this human tragedy," the Iranian deputy foreign minister said during the phone conversation.

Amir Abdollahian, meantime, voiced Iran's readiness to take the following necessary measures in full coordination with UN's relief aid program:

1-Immediate dispatch of shiploads of fuel and oil products to the Yemeni ports; 2- Dispatch of medical teams and setting up three hospitals in Sana'a, Aden, Sa'ada and other Yemeni provinces deemed necessary by the UN; 3- Immediate dispatch of aid and foodstuff via air to Yemen through Djibouti or directly to Yemen; 4- Allocating two cargo planes and three cargo ships to speed up the UN aid and relief operations and dispatch of medicine and food supplies to Yemen through Djibouti.

In mid-April, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif put forward details of a proposed peace plan according to which Tehran seeks to help end the ongoing conflict gripping Yemen.

During his visit to the Spanish capital, Madrid, Zarif proposed a four-point plan, emphasizing the Yemeni nation’s right to decide its own future free from foreign interference.

The proposal includes hammering out a ceasefire, sending humanitarian assistance to the people affected by violence, launching an intra-Yemeni dialog, and establishing a broad-based government participated by all Yemeni factions, according to Zarif.

Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen for 47 days now to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 3,623 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.

Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.

Despite Riyadh's claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.

On April 21, Saudi Arabia declared end to Yemen airstrikes after weeks of bombings, but airstrikes are still underway.