Iran seeks UN help for delivery of aid to Yemen

Iran called on Monday for the United Nations' assistance to deliver humanitarian supplies to war-torn Yemen, media reported.

"The UN needs to create a protected zone in Yemen so that humanitarian aid could be delivered," Iranian Tasnim News quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif as saying in a joint press conference here.

It is time for the UN to take control of the situation in the impoverished Arab country, he said, adding that the international body should shoulder the responsibility for extending the truce in the Arab state.

"The (Saudi-led) attacks on civilian areas are ongoing and regrettably humanitarian aid does not reach those areas, which poses a serious challenge," Zarif was quoted as saying.

"The restrictions imposed on the Yemeni population by the Saudi-led coalition are unacceptable and violate international regulations and human rights laws," he added.

Last Monday, an Iranian aid ship called Rescue Ship with 2,500 tons of food supplies and medicines left the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas and headed for Yemen via the Gulf of Aden.

Iran deployed its 34th fleet, comprising the Bushehr logistic vessel and Alborz destroyer, to the high seas and is fully prepared to conduct its mission, Commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Admiral Amir Hossein Azad said on Sunday.

The aid ship's captain, Masoud Qazi Mirsaeed, said the Iranian navy will escort the vessel to the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, which will arrive in three days, according to the report.

Iran has warned against attempts to target the aid ship. "Attacking the ship will launch a regional war," deputy chief of Iran's armed forces Brig. Gen. Masoud Jazayeri said on Wednesday.

The fleet was patrolling the Gulf of Aden, the north of the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb to secure naval routes and defend Iran's interests, Azad was quoted as saying.

Saudi Arabia has long accused Iran of arming and financing Houthi fighters, an accusation strongly rejected by Tehran.