Iran to stop arming Houthis as part of agreement with Saudi: Report
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Raven Ruma
- . March 17, 2023
- . Update: March 18, 2023 1:04 pm
As part of a recent Chinese-brokered agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to re-establish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies within two months, Tehran has agreed to stop sending weapons to its Houthi allies in Yemen, the Wall Street Journal mentioned in its latest report, quoting US and Saudi officials.
Although Tehran has repeatedly rejected allegations of supplying the militant group with weapons, UN inspectors have frequently traced seized weapons shipments back to Iran.
But the latest move from Iran following the agreement is expected to accelerate new efforts to achieve peace in war-ravaged Yemen, as it could pressurise the Houthis to reach a deal to end the brutal conflict. Nevertheless, since an UN-sponsored truce took effect last April, fighting has largely been on hold, even after the ceasefire expired after six months.
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The rapprochement gestures by Saudi Arabia and Iran from last week come seven years after Riyadh severed ties with Iran over furious Iranian protesters storming its embassy in Tehran. But following the agreement, the two countries affirmed ‘the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal affairs of states.’
Riyadh expects Tehran to respect a UN arms embargo meant to prevent weapons from reaching the militant group in Yemen, the WSJ report cited a Saudi official as saying. Following the landmark agreement, officials from both countries said Iran would press the Houthis to put an end to attacks on Saudi Arabia, the news agency noted.
The re-establishment of Saudi-Iran diplomatic ties was widely welcomed by the international community, with the EU noting “the resumption of their bilateral relations” can bring greater stability to the region as a whole.
