Saudi Ambassador to Yemen: Houthis Threw Themselves Into Iran’s Custody

Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Ambassador to Yemen: Houthis Threw Themselves Into Iran’s Custody

Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed bin Jaber, said that the “Decisive Storm” - led by Saudi Arabia against the coup in Yemen - was necessary to prevent the country from sliding into civil war.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, the ambassador noted that the Houthis have committed themselves to “implement the Iranian project and shed the blood of Yemenis.” He explained that his country supported peaceful political solutions - the latest of which was the Stockholm Agreement - but the Houthi rebels have failed to implement any of them.

“The Decisive Storm prevented Yemen from sliding into civil war between various parties, including Iran-backed militias. It was a war of necessity, not a choice,” he stated.

“We knew that the Iranian-backed militias were acting in accordance with one policy and approach and were implementing the directives and instructions of the Tehran regime,” he added.

The Saudi ambassador stressed that the Houthis have hindered all attempts to find political solutions within the Gulf initiative, the outputs of the national dialogue and UN Security Council Resolution 2216.

“The Houthis destroyed Yemen, smashed the hopes of the Yemenis, looted the government’s money in the Central Bank… and put the country in a severe state of poverty and hunger, in addition to recruiting children and tampering with their lives,” he remarked.

Asked about the role of Saudi Arabia in the Stockholm Agreement, the Saudi ambassador asserted that the Kingdom played a major role in the success of the accord reached in the Swedish capital. Yet, he remarked that the Houthis have signed more than 70 agreements since the beginning of the coup, attended many dialogue sessions, made many pledges without fulfilling any of them.

“The failure to implement the Hodeidah agreement confirms the lack of seriousness of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias to achieve peace in Yemen, so the international community must shoulder its responsibility towards Yemen, and deal with the Houthis on the basis that they are a gang that seized power by force of arms,” he emphasized.

Jaber went on to say that the Houthi militias were a very small minority. “They have managed to capture the country, through Iranian money and training by Hezbollah, with the aim to implement an Iranian agenda; this will not happen,” he said.

Commenting on efforts deployed by Yemeni tribal groups to fight the rebels, the ambassador said: “The honest people in Yemen reject the presence of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias and the Iranian tutelage. I can say that all Yemeni tribes are involved in confronting these militias, which are using money to recruit children.”

Jaber also said that the Saudi-led Coalition for the Support of Legitimacy also contributed to curbing the presence of terrorist groups in Yemen, which tried to exploit the weakness of security and chaos.

“Therefore, the alliance is working with several countries to eradicate those terrorist groups,” he explained.

Back to Saudi Arabia’s role, Jaber stressed that the Kingdom was the largest provider of humanitarian aid to Yemen. He noted that in addition to the various humanitarian response plans it has launched over the past years, the Kingdom hosts about two million Yemenis working in various professions.

“This is great support for Yemen, not provided by any other country,” he affirmed.



UN Coordinator in Syria: Optimistic About Reconstruction if Transition Succeeds

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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UN Coordinator in Syria: Optimistic About Reconstruction if Transition Succeeds

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Since 2012, the United Nations Resident Coordinator's developmental role in Syria has been put on hold by the UN. However, the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad’s regime has revived this role.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Adam Abdelmoula, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, outlined plans for reconstruction in partnership with the new government in Damascus.

Abdelmoula expressed “great optimism” about Syria’s rebuilding but stressed that the key to rapid recovery is the “success of the transition.”

He explained that this means the transitional period—until a new constitution is agreed upon and an elected government is formed—must be secure and supported by consensus among all Syrians.

Additionally, momentum is building for Syria’s reconstruction, with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries proposing an international donor conference next spring to raise funds.

Abdelmoula said the UN is consulting with the new Syrian administration to prepare projects and cost estimates for the event.

The UN is preparing aid and technical support for Syria’s new administration, along with a development plan focusing on rebuilding infrastructure, restoring electricity, reviving health services, and supporting agriculture and irrigation to boost the economy.

“We’ve informed the new administration of our work through a letter sent to the foreign minister,” said Abdelmoula.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the UN’s “early recovery strategy,” launched last November, is still in place, though its fund has yet to be registered with the trust fund office in New York.

He promised to prioritize its registration and said: “When reconstruction begins in Syria, we will work to establish a dedicated reconstruction fund.”

As for relying on donors for rebuilding Syria, Abdelmoula said: “The UN doesn’t have the billions of dollars needed, but lessons from similar crises show the importance of focusing on strategic priorities, especially rebuilding the economic foundations.”

Abdelmoula noted that UN agencies can secure funding from donors who support development activities in various countries, a process that had been stalled in Syria for over a decade.

“Since the fall of the Syrian regime, many countries, particularly Arab and neighboring ones, have provided significant aid, and this is expected to increase,” he said.

“There are also positive signals from donors, especially Europeans, about boosting humanitarian aid, including continuing the annual Brussels Conference to support Syria,” added Abdelmoula.

He revealed that the mission has learned the European Union will resume hosting the conference this year, despite the fall of Assad’s regime.

The UN official addressed Syria’s sanctions, stating that those harming the Syrian people should be lifted.

He noted that the recent Riyadh meeting showed a strong intention from key international players to ease or fully lift the sanctions.

Abdelmoula pointed out the US decision to suspend some sanctions for six months and mentioned an upcoming EU foreign ministers' meeting to discuss either lifting or easing sanctions to support Syria’s economy, humanitarian aid, banking, and market access.

He explained that some sanctions are imposed by countries like the US, Germany, France, and the UK, which are discussing the best way forward. However, he said fully lifting sanctions may take time due to laws like the US Caesar Act.

Abdelmoula stressed that efforts should focus on reducing the impact of sanctions under the Caesar Act and working to pass new legislation to cancel it. He said this should also apply to sanctions from other countries in the form of laws.

He explained that lifting sanctions would make it easier for the UN and help both the Syrian government and people. A direct benefit would be Syria’s ability to access direct funding, concessional loans from international funds and the World Bank, and grants.

Abdelmoula explained that the UN’s humanitarian work in Syria focuses on helping people in need, regardless of which political group controls the area.

“Our efforts have included people in regions outside the former regime's control in northwestern and northeastern Syria,” he said.

As the UN Resident Coordinator, Abdelmoula represents the UN in the country.

“The government recognized until December 8 was Bashar al-Assad’s, which is why my credentials were sent to it, as is the usual practice,” he noted.

Abdelmoula also pointed out that the UN’s development work in Syria was halted since 2012 due to a UN decision.

“After the regime fell, we announced that we would resume our development work,” he affirmed.