Yemen Demands Iran Stop Arming Houthis and Withdraw Military Experts

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has called on Iran to immediately stop supplying weapons to Houthi militias, withdraw its military experts and end interference in the country’s internal affairs, accusing Tehran of prolonging the conflict and worsening the humanitarian crisis.

In a statement published on X early Monday, Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs strongly condemned recent remarks by Iran’s Foreign Ministry accusing Saudi Arabia of violating Yemen’s sovereignty and criticizing airstrikes on civilian targets.

The Aden-based ministry described Iran’s statement as an attempt to provide political and diplomatic cover for the Houthis while avoiding responsibility for its alleged role in extending the war and increasing the suffering of Yemen’s population.

According to the ministry, Iran’s involvement has gone beyond financing, supplying weapons and training Houthi fighters to include direct participation in planning and directing their military operations.

It said the combination of military assistance on the ground and diplomatic support in international forums demonstrated Tehran’s role in undermining Yemen’s state institutions and threatening regional security and maritime routes.

Yemen Accuses Iran of Direct Military Involvement

The ministry cited an announcement by Yemen’s Interior Ministry claiming that 21 foreign military experts were operating alongside the Houthis. These allegedly included 14 members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and seven from Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Their reported responsibilities include command and control, operational planning, ballistic missiles, drones, electronic warfare, weapons smuggling and maritime operations, including the selection of commercial vessels for attacks.

The Yemeni government described their presence as equivalent to a fully functioning military general staff, arguing that their role extended beyond training to supervising and directing military operations.

It accused Iran of enabling the Houthis to continue attacks against civilians, including abductions, killings, shelling of residential areas and the siege of populated communities.

The ministry also blamed the group for repeated attacks on Saudi territory, commercial shipping and maritime navigation in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait.

Iran and Yemen Exchange Accusations Over Civilian Casualties

The diplomatic dispute followed an Iranian Foreign Ministry statement condemning airstrikes on Al-Hadara public market in Taiz province’s Al-Wazi’iyah district on November 6, as well as attacks on Al-Shariyah village in Bani Hashish district, east of Sanaa.

Iran claimed that the strikes on the market killed 33 people, including 13 children, and wounded dozens. It also reported 33 additional deaths, including women and children, in the attack on Al-Shariyah.

Tehran further condemned the targeting of members of Yemen’s Al-Masirah television network, describing the incidents as violations of international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.

Iran called for an immediate halt to military operations and an end to what it described as Yemen’s economic and aerial blockade. It also urged the parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue based on an existing roadmap.

Yemen’s Foreign Ministry rejected what it called Iran’s exploitation of victims of the Al-Hadara market incident to advance accusations that contradicted statements by the country’s competent authorities.

The ministry said Yemeni authorities had called for independent investigations into alleged Houthi violations of human rights and international law.

Yemen Cites UN Arms Embargo on Houthis

The Yemeni government also referred to UN Security Council Resolutions 2216 and 2624, which impose restrictions on arms supplies to the Houthis, including weapons, military equipment, technical assistance, training and financing connected to military activities.

It urged Tehran to respect the sovereignty of regional countries, abandon support for armed groups and redirect its resources towards improving conditions for its own population rather than financing weapons and smuggling networks.

The statement contrasted Iran’s alleged military assistance to the Houthis with Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian, relief and development support for Yemen, as well as assistance to Yemeni expatriates living in the Kingdom.

The ministry said that during twelve years of conflict, which it blamed on the Houthis and their Iranian backing, Tehran had provided missiles, suicide drones, explosive-laden boats and military experts.

By contrast, it praised Saudi Arabia for providing humanitarian assistance, development support and facilities for Yemeni expatriates whose employment and remittances contribute to the livelihoods of millions of people.

Call for Iran to End Interference in Yemen

The Yemeni government concluded by reiterating that respect for the country’s sovereignty required Iran to stop arming the Houthis, withdraw its military experts and end interference in Yemen’s political and military decision-making.

It said Iran’s stated concern for the Yemeni population should be demonstrated through an end to the support that Sana’a’s internationally recognized government says is prolonging the conflict and worsening the country’s destruction.

Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government from power in the city. The conflict has devastated the country’s economy, displaced millions and created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.