European Ambassadors in Sanaa to Pressure Insurgents in Coordination with Legitimate Government

EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta. KUNA

Sanaa: Asharq Al Awsat

12:06-21 March 2018 AD ـ 06 Rajab 1439 AH

Sanaa: Asharq Al Awsat

12:06-21 March 2018 AD ـ 06 Rajab 1439 AH

European Ambassadors in Sanaa to Pressure Insurgents in Coordination with Legitimate Government

EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta. KUNA

An unprecedented state of joy overwhelmed leaders of the Houthi militia following the arrival of a high-level delegation from the European Union to Sanaa after nearly three years of international and diplomatic isolation against pro-Iranian militias.

Although the purpose of the visit is humanitarian, leaders of the Houthi group regarded it as a political and diplomatic victory, meaning the world has recognized them.\

The delegation, which arrived to Sanaa on Monday, was headed by EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta.

Meanwhile, the legitimate Yemeni government revealed that the visit of the European delegation to Sanaa was done coordinated with it, and it ridiculed in a statement by an official source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs what Houthis have been saying, adding that the group is trying to invest the visit as a form of solidarity with them.

The official source revealed in the statement that the visit aims at pressuring the insurgents to accept the requirements of the peace process, cooperate with the new UN envoy, refrain from impeding humanitarian work and relief efforts and agree to release a number of European national detainees, some of which were sentenced to death.

“The visit of the European diplomats to Sanaa was coordinated with the Yemeni government, and they were granted entry visas,” the source said.

The Ambassador of the EU to Yemen revealed in a statement to the media that the visit will last three days and its purpose is humanitarian, as they are scheduled to report the suffering of Yemenis in the warfare county.

Yemeni observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that the European ambassadors might be on an undeclared mission in Sanaa to submit a draft of Western peace proposal to the Houthi militia leaders that was previously agreed upon with the legitimate government in Riyadh. This comes as part of the international efforts that pave the way for the work of the new UN envoy Martin Griffiths.

Notably, the delegation includes Dutch ambassador to Yemen Maria van Doe, French ambassador to Yemen Christian Tistot and, envoy of the Swedish foreign minister Hans Peter.

Meeting between al-Zaidi, Trump Raises Questions in Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with US President Donald Trump in New York on September 23, 2026. (Iraqi government)

Baghdad: Hamza Mustafa

00:45-25 September 2026 AD ـ 14 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Baghdad: Hamza Mustafa

00:45-25 September 2026 AD ـ 14 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Meeting between al-Zaidi, Trump Raises Questions in Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with US President Donald Trump in New York on September 23, 2026. (Iraqi government)

A meeting between US President Donald Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in New York has raised questions due to the complete absence of the Iraqi delegation, coming just one day after Baghdad’s announcement that it would complete the plan to impose state monopoly over arms in June 2027.

The plan was supposed to be complete by the end of September, but it was postponed to next year.

A photograph released by the Iraqi government's media office on Wednesday showed al-Zaidi alone during the meeting, which was attended by Trump alongside senior US administration officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Al-Zaidi's office said that he discussed with Trump efforts by Iraq and the US to boost regional and international security and stability.

The government offered no explanation about the absence of the Iraqi delegation, which included the ministers of foreign affairs, finance, and electricity, and other officials.

Iraqi observers said al-Zaidi attended the meeting alone due to American suspicions that the discussions may be leaked to other delegation members, who are members of the Iran-aligned Coordination Framework coalition.

An Iraqi politician close to the State Administration coalition said the way the meeting was held “reflects American unease, especially by Trump, over the stalled process to impose state monopoly over weapons.”

According to official statements, September 30 will not mark the completion of the arms control process, but it will instead serve as the launching point for a new phase extending until June 2027.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York. (Iraqi government)

Al-Zaidi has evidently managed to convince the Americans to grant an additional grace period for the arms control plan, particularly after the new deadline was backed by US envoy to Iraq Tom Barrack.

Independent Iraqi politician Salah al-Arbawi said it remains to be seen whether the timetable that will be announced at the end of the month will tip the balance in favor of any political parties in the dispute over the factions’ weapons.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said the political parties must handle the factions’ weapons “rationally and calmly.”

He noted that al-Zaidi has managed to restore his control over the plan after it encountered obstacles in recent weeks.

Experts believe that recent discussions on the amendment of the arms control plan could turn into an opportunity to improve Iraqi-American relations.

Researcher Abbas Abboud said that the Iraqi-American relationship is being “restructured” by Barrack.

Baghdad’s relations with Washington’s allies in the region hinge on “decoupling Iraq from Iran”, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had issued a direct warning to Baghdad to "disarm the militias to avoid the balkanization of Iraq."

Rubio underlined US support for al-Zaidi's government in its efforts to consolidate state authority, urging the need to dismantle armed factions.

Arab World

Lebanon PM Tells Iran President Country Cannot Be Arena for Regional Wars

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. (NNA)

23:37-24 September 2026 AD ـ 13 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Lebanon PM Tells Iran President Country Cannot Be Arena for Regional Wars

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. (NNA)

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday that his country did not want to be an arena for regional wars, after Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew it into the Middle East conflict.

Lebanon has repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in its affairs, especially since the start of the latest war, saying that Tehran was using it as a "bargaining chip" in talks with the United States.

Salam's office said in a statement that he met with Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Salam "stressed that Lebanon has paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability and economy, and that it does not want to become an arena for regional conflicts or a venue for the exchange of messages between others", it said.

Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the broader Middle East war, which began with Israeli-US strikes on Iran, by attacking Israel in support of Tehran on March 2.

Israel responded with major airstrikes and a ground invasion that killed more than 4,300 people.

The war followed a 2023-2024 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which started when the group attacked Israel in support of its ally Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Violence declined following a June framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel and a wider US-Iran deal, but Israel has continued to carry out attacks on its northern neighbor.

Salam said his country looked forward "to turning a new page" in its ties with Iran.

He called for "building a sound state-to-state relationship based on mutual respect for each country's sovereignty and independence, non-interference in each other's affairs and shared interests".

Salam said the priority was for "Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory and cease its attacks, and for Lebanon to move forward with extending the authority of the Lebanese state over all of its territory".

He said Lebanon needed to ensure "that weapons are held exclusively by the state", in a jab at Hezbollah, which has so far refused to lay down its arms.

In an interview with AFP last week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said bilateral relations "must be based on mutual respect and non-interference".

Arab World

US to Hand Over Center at Baghdad Airport, Says Iraqi FM

A man walks past a billboard displaying the Iraqi flag in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on September 22, 2026. (AFP)

23:22-24 September 2026 AD ـ 13 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

US to Hand Over Center at Baghdad Airport, Says Iraqi FM

A man walks past a billboard displaying the Iraqi flag in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on September 22, 2026. (AFP)

The United States will transfer to Iraq a diplomatic and logistics hub at Baghdad airport that was repeatedly targeted by Iran-backed groups during the Middle East war, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

It said an agreement was signed with the US charge d'affaires Steven Fagin "to hand over the diplomatic support center affiliated with the US embassy at Baghdad International Airport to the Iraqi government".

The move, it added, was part of efforts to end the US-led coalition's military presence in Iraq, with the remaining troops set to complete their exit by September 30.

For years, Iran-backed armed groups that have long called for the withdrawal of foreign troops have targeted US facilities and coalition forces in Iraq.

During the Middle East war, those groups targeted US sites more than 600 times, including the Baghdad airport facility.

An Iraqi security official and a diplomatic source told AFP earlier this month that US troops have already evacuated the site.

Baghdad and Washington agreed in 2024 to end the coalition's mission against the ISIS group in Iraq.

Coalition forces are now only present at Erbil airport after having withdrawn from other bases.

The coalition's presence, especially after the defeat of ISIS, has been a persistent point of friction between Iraqi authorities and Tehran-backed factions in the country.

Since taking office this year, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has pledged to reinforce the state's monopoly on arms and ensure that armed factions hand over their arms to the state.

Authorities say that ending the coalition's mission removes a key justification used by those groups to keep their weapons.

European Ambassadors in Sanaa to Pressure Insurgents in Coordination with Legitimate Government

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