International Assertions About Iran’s Involvement in Arming Houthis

Houthi gathering in Sanaa marks 1,000 days of Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen on 21 December 2017 (Reuters)
Houthi gathering in Sanaa marks 1,000 days of Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen on 21 December 2017 (Reuters)
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International Assertions About Iran’s Involvement in Arming Houthis

Houthi gathering in Sanaa marks 1,000 days of Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen on 21 December 2017 (Reuters)
Houthi gathering in Sanaa marks 1,000 days of Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen on 21 December 2017 (Reuters)

There has been evidence that Iran violated UN Resolution 2216 by providing Houthi militias with arms and munitions, according to a UN experts’ report that showed Tehran’s involvement in Yemen.

The 79-page confidential report, seen on Friday by Asharq Al-Awsat, includes 331 attached papers and will be distributed to UN Security Council state members on January 27.

The findings of the report are expected to enhance accusations launched by US President Donald Trump and his administration against Iran for providing Houthis with weapons, including ballistic missiles.

"The panel has identified missile remnants, related military equipment and military unmanned aerial vehicles that are of Iranian origin and were introduced into Yemen after the imposition of the targeted arms embargo," said the report.

Referring to the Security Council resolution that imposed the arms embargo, it said: "As a result, the panel finds that the Republic of Iran is in non-compliance with paragraph 14 of resolution 2216 in that it failed to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of missile and unmanned aerial vehicles to the Houthi-Saleh alliance."

The UN experts did not rule out that Iran had sent "advisers" to help the Houthis in their war against the Saudi-led coalition.

In an inspection visit to Saudi Arabia last November, the UN experts found that missile remnants’ features were consistent with those of the Iranian-designed and manufactured Qiam-1 missiles.

“Drones were virtually identical in design to that of an Iranian-made UAV manufactured by the Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, the report added.

The panel of UN experts also found that Houthis had received more advanced missiles in January 2015, including the Scud C and Hwaseong artillery units,” adding that their use against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia violates the international human rights law.



Trump Says Israeli Strike on Iran Could Happen

President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in St. Cloud, Minn. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in St. Cloud, Minn. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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Trump Says Israeli Strike on Iran Could Happen

President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in St. Cloud, Minn. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in St. Cloud, Minn. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he is still urging Iran to negotiate a nuclear deal, but that he is concerned a “massive conflict” could occur in the Middle East if it does not.

“I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” Trump said in response to a question from a reporter about a potential Israeli attack. "Look, it’s very simple, not complicated. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump offered guarded optimism that a conflict could still be avoided, and said he's urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off from taking action for the time-being.

“As long as I think there is a (chance for an) agreement, I don’t want them going in because I think it would blow it," Trump stated.

Trump said he felt it was necessary for his administration on Wednesday to direct a voluntary evacuation of nonessential personnel and their families from some US diplomatic outposts in the Middle East.

“We have a lot of American people in this area. And I said, we got to tell them to get out because something could happen soon,” Trump said. "And I don’t want to be the one that didn’t give any warning, and missiles are flying into their buildings. It’s possible. So I had to do it."

Iran said it has built and will activate a third nuclear enrichment facility, ratcheting up tensions with the UN on Thursday immediately after its atomic watchdog agency censured Iran for failing to comply with nonproliferation obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

“Iran has no choice but to respond to this political resolution,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry and Atomic Energy Organization said in a joint statement.

The censure by the International Atomic Energy Agency, its first in 20 years over Iranian non-compliance, could set in motion an effort to restore sanctions on Iran later this year.

Trump had previously warned that Israel or America could launch airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiators failed to reach a deal on Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

A sixth round of Iran-US talks is scheduled to begin Sunday in Oman.