Iranian foreign minister commences regional tour, lauds Yemeni support for Palestinians

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, praises Yemen’s solidarity with Palestinian cause during aregional tour in Oman

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, embarked on a regional tour commencing in Oman, where he commended Yemen’s solidarity with the Palestinian cause, as reported by Iran’s foreign ministry.

Oman, known for its mediating role in the Yemen conflict between the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, hosted discussions amidst escalating tensions in the region.

Huthi insurgents have intensified their attacks, launching numerous missile and drone strikes on vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November. They assert these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

In a meeting with Mohammed Abdelsalam, a spokesperson and senior figure of the Huthi movement, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian praised “the courageous backing of the Yemeni people for the oppressed Palestinian populace.”

According to the Syrian pro-government newspaper Al-Watan, Amir-Abdollahian is scheduled to travel to Damascus on Monday for an official visit.

This tour follows closely on the heels of an airstrike on Damascus nearly a week ago, which obliterated the consular annex of the Iranian embassy, resulting in the deaths of seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members, including two generals. Iran has attributed the attack to Israel.

During his diplomatic engagements in Oman, Amir-Abdollahian echoed previous Iranian assertions, vowing retaliation for the Syrian attack. He affirmed that Iran “will exercise its legitimate rights within the framework of international law to hold the perpetrators accountable and exact punishment,” according to the foreign ministry.

Yahya Rahim Safavi, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, cautioned on Sunday that Israeli diplomatic missions are now “at risk” following the Damascus strike.

Israel, Iran’s long-standing adversary, has not issued an immediate response to these statements.

The assault on the consulate has exacerbated tensions in the Middle East, already heightened by ongoing conflicts involving Iran-backed factions in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

During a joint press conference with the Huthi representative, Amir-Abdollahian condemned the strike on the Israeli embassy as “another chapter in this regime’s belligerence and its endeavors to escalate regional conflicts.”

While hostilities in Yemen between rebels and the Saudi-led coalition-backed government have subsided since a UN-mediated ceasefire in April 2022, Amir-Abdollahian reiterated Iran’s support for the peace process in Yemen, as conveyed by the foreign ministry.

Source: AFP