UAE Summons Iran Envoy Over Smuggling of Weapons to Houthis
- Thursday, 02 February 2017 17:59
The United Arab Emirates’ assistant minister of foreign affairs has summoned on Thursday the Charge d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, handing him a note of protest on Iran’s illegal provision of weapons to Houthi militias in Yemen.
Dr. Abdul Rahim Al Awadi, said that Iran’s move is in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions prohibiting this, adding that it is considered an attack on international legitimacy, the rule of Yemen, and fuels the conflict there, WAM news agency reported.
He underlined that the UNSC Resolution 2216 on Yemen is "clear" in this respect, therefore, "Iranian weapons and unmanned aircraft which the Arab coalition forces targeted recently, are a clear violation of this resolution."
It is noteworthy than on Jan. 28, 2017, the Arab coalition forces devastated an Iranian military drone at Yemen's Red Sea coast "with the support of the UAE's air force," reported WAM last Saturday, quoting a Yemeni military source.
The UAE is a participant of the Saudi-led coalition which comprises nine Arab states supportive of Yemen's legitimate government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
The coalition has been piloting daily air strikes against the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi group across Yemen since March 26, when Hadi fled to and took refuge in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
The coalition said its intervention aims to restore Hadi's authority in Yemen.
