The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg renewed on Wednesday his appeal for Houthis to immediately release UN staff detained by the group.
During meetings held in Tehran with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, senior Iranian officials and a number of diplomats, the envoy affirmed that dialogue is the only sustainable way to achieve peace and stability in Yemen.
Grundberg expressed his aspirations to enhance regional cooperation to support efforts to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in Yemen, his office said.
He highlighted a number of pressing issues during the meetings, including regional developments that undermine mediation efforts.
The envoy also addressed recent escalations in the Red Sea, pointing to broader security concerns and the potential destabilizing repercussions in the region.
Grundberg stressed the urgent need to resume constructive negotiations, affirming that dialogue is the only sustainable way to achieve peace and stability in Yemen.
He also underlined the importance of coordinated regional and international efforts to push Yemen towards a comprehensive and lasting solution to the conflict.
“I had frank and constructive discussions with officials in Tehran,” Grundberg said. He added that joint efforts are essential to overcome the challenges posed by the conflict and to ensure a peaceful settlement that meets the aspirations of the Yemeni people.
“During all meetings,” he added, “I made it a top priority to support the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal for the release of all detained colleagues. They must be released without delay to foster the hope and confidence needed to move forward.”
Hope for Assistance
While the peace process in Yemen is disrupted by the Houthis' attacks on ships, the UN envoy is apparently hoping that Tehran will help him pressure the group to release abducted UN workers.
Yemenis were hoping for a breakthrough in the peace process late last year after the Houthis and the legitimate government agreed to a Saudi-Oman-brokered roadmap.
But such hopes dashed as the Houthis have escalated their attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In his last briefing to the UN Security Council, Grundberg said that his main goal, under these difficult circumstances, remains to mediate a permanent and just solution to the conflict in Yemen, but he regretted that the ongoing war in Gaza, and the related regional escalation, complicate these efforts.
The UN envoy to Yemen indicated that there had been no improvement in the military situation since his last briefing to the Security Council, as worrying military activities were observed on the front lines in Marib, Shabwa, Taiz, Al Dhale and Lahj, in addition to escalating rhetoric between the conflicting parties.
He explained that his office would work to assist the Yemeni parties in implementing the understanding reached on July 23 regarding de-escalation in the banking sector and Yemenia Airlines, by continuing to communicate with the relevant representatives.
Grundberg said the agreement had helped avert a severe crisis, however, he warned that the current situation was unstable and that the economic conditions of the majority of Yemenis continued to deteriorate.
The envoy then stressed that he remains committed to his conviction that lasting peace in Yemen can only be achieved through continuous and focused engagement on core issues such as the economy, a nationwide ceasefire, and a comprehensive political process.
