Iran supports Geneva peace talks on Yemen

Iran supports peace talks among the conflicting sides in Yemen to end the bloodshed in the country, foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Wednesday.

"We hope that the upcoming Geneva talks on Yemen (on June 14) to be held with the participation of all the (Yemeni) sides," Afkham said, adding that Iran supported the talks without preconditions.

"To set preconditions for the talks will cast a negative atmosphere on the talks and will make it difficult," Xinhua quoted her as saying in a weekly press briefing.

Major Yemeni parties have agreed to attend an inclusive UN-led consultation in Geneva on June 14. The step has the potential to put a broad-based political settlement back at the centre of international efforts to reach a sustainable solution to the current crisis in Yemen following a conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from May 17 to 19.

The Iranian foreign ministry official rejected allegations that Iran interfered in Yemen's internal affairs, stressing that Iran's humanitarian aids to the country and its encouraging policy of dialogue among the country's political parties were not interference.

As for Iran's relief aid to Yemen, she regretted that the cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia was "very poor" in this regard.

The upcoming Geneva talks on Yemen will also be a key step for the resumption of a humanitarian ceasefire, and the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance.