Iran, Houthis discuss efforts to end war in Yemen

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the spokesman for Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah Movement on Saturday held talks to discuss efforts to end war in Yemen, Tasnim news agency reported.

During the meeting, Zarif stressed the need for an immediate stop to the war and bombing of Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition.

Given the human catastrophe in Yemen, there is a necessity for the international community to send humanitarian assistance to Yemen immediately, he was quoted as saying.

Also, Abdulsalam briefed the Iranian foreign minister the current situation and developments in Yemen.

He underlined the need for what he called an urgent end to the bombardment and siege of the country, Press TV reported.

Last week, Ali Akbar Velayati, an international adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader said that Yemen war could be a "quagmire" for Saudi Arabia.

Saudi's involvement in the war in Yemen could lead to the same catastrophe that the U.S. government experienced in Vietnam. "Saudi Arabia should expect to see Yemen turn into another Vietnam for that country," Velayati said.

The Saudi-led coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015 to roll back the Shiite Houthi rebels and support President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis.

The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis and displaced 3 million people, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

--IANS

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