Amid Red Sea Turmoil, Iranian FM Praises Actions By Yemen's Houthis

Regime-sponsored demonstrators burn US, British and Israeli flags during a gathering in support of Yemen in front of the British embassy in Tehran on January 12, 2024.
Regime-sponsored demonstrators burn US, British and Israeli flags during a gathering in support of Yemen in front of the British embassy in Tehran on January 12, 2024.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has praised the actions of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, describing their attacks as "commendable."

In a statement on X, he asserted that the Houthi group is "fully committed to maritime security and shipping," despite their repeated attacks on commercial vessels.

Amir-Abdollahian went further to call on the White House to halt its "comprehensive military and security support" for Israel in its conflict with Hamas, suggesting that redirecting the support would contribute to "restoring security across the entire region."

Earlier, Naser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic, condemned the US and British attacks on the Houthis, denouncing them as "a self-serving act, a clear violation of Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of international laws and rights."

On Friday evening, supporters of the Islamic Republic gathered outside the British Embassy in Tehran, vocalizing their discontent with the United States and Britain.

Citing financial and arms support from the Islamic Republic to the Houthi rebels, the United States and its allies hold Tehran responsible for the recent attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, in a message to Iran, demanded an immediate cessation of support for the Yemeni Houthi militants, amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel and Gaza. The call coincides with coordinated airstrikes targeting over 60 Houthi sites in Yemen, indicating an intensified international response to the escalating tensions in the region.

In a related context, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, asserted on Friday that without Iran's support, the Houthi militants lack the capability to carry out attacks on commercial ships.