Int’l Community Welcomes Saudi Efforts, Affirming Necessity of Peace in Yemen

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab
UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab
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Int’l Community Welcomes Saudi Efforts, Affirming Necessity of Peace in Yemen

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab
UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab

Several countries and international and regional organizations have welcomed the mechanism to accelerate the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement signed between the Yemeni internationally-recognized government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) under Saudi sponsorship.

Statements stressed the importance of achieving peace in Yemen and said that the Riyadh Agreement would help do so.

The United States valued Saudi efforts through a statement issued by its embassy in Yemen, which said: "Through the rapprochement between the Yemeni government and the STC, the implementation of the Riyadh agreement represents an essential step towards achieving a lasting peace for the Yemeni people."

The statement pointed out that achieving peace and unity in Yemen is necessary for regional stability and meeting the urgent needs of the Yemeni people, adding that “a lasting solution will require all parties to make concessions.”

The US reiterated its continued support for the efforts led by the UN to move forward in the political process in Yemen.

The United Kingdom has also welcomed the proposal by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to accelerate implementing the Riyadh Agreement.

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab said: "The Riyadh Agreement is a key step towards a sustainable, peaceful resolution to the Yemen conflict. This announcement represents important progress.”

“I encourage all the Yemeni parties to continue this spirit of negotiation and compromise,” he added.

The UAE has also welcomed the latest developments with regards to the resumption of the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.

The UAE noted the agreement aims to achieve security, stability, peace, and development in Yemen and expressed its hope to accelerate its implementation to end the Yemeni crisis in line with the UN-sponsored peace track.

In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation commended the Saudi leadership for enabling progress in the agreement’s implementation and its support for efforts to serve the interests of the brotherly Yemeni people and contribute towards the country’s stability and security.

The Ministry stressed the importance of solidarity and cooperation among Yemeni forces to prioritize the greater national interest and confront threats facing Yemen, foremost among them the Houthi coup.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to standing by the Yemeni people and backing their legitimate aspirations for development, security, and peace within the context of the UAE's policy to support the interests of peoples in the region.



Biden Warns Israel against Iran Oil Strikes as War Fears Mount

US President Joe Biden speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2024. (AFP)
US President Joe Biden speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2024. (AFP)
TT

Biden Warns Israel against Iran Oil Strikes as War Fears Mount

US President Joe Biden speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2024. (AFP)
US President Joe Biden speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2024. (AFP)

US President Joe Biden on Friday advised Israel against striking Iran's oil facilities, saying he was trying to rally the world to avoid the escalating prospect of all-out war in the Middle East.

But his predecessor Donald Trump, currently campaigning for another term in power, went so far as to suggest Israel should "hit" Iran's nuclear sites.

Making a surprise first appearance in the White House briefing room, Biden said that Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu "should remember" US support for Israel when deciding on next steps.

"If I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields," Biden told reporters, when asked about his comments a day earlier that Washington was discussing the possibility of such strikes with its ally.

Biden added that the Israelis "have not concluded how they're, what they're going to do" in retaliation for a huge ballistic missile attack by Iran on Israel on Tuesday.

The price of oil had jumped after Biden's remarks Thursday.

Any long-term rise could be damaging for US Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat confronts Republican Trump in a November 5 election where the cost of living is a major issue.

Meanwhile Trump, campaigning in North Carolina, offered a far more provocative view of what he thinks a response to Iran should be, referencing a question posed to Biden this week about the possibility of Israel targeting Iran's nuclear program.

"They asked him, 'what do you think about Iran, would you hit Iran?' And he goes, 'As long as they don't hit the nuclear stuff.' That's the thing you want to hit, right?" Trump told a town hall style event in Fayetteville, near a major US military base.

Biden "got that one wrong," Trump said.

"When they asked him that question, the answer should have been, hit the nuclear first, and worry about the rest later," Trump added.

Trump has spoken little about the recent escalation in tensions in the Middle East. But he issued a scathing statement this week, holding Biden and Harris responsible for the crisis.

- 'Wait to see' -

Biden's appearance at the famed briefing room podium was not announced in advance, taking reporters by surprise.

It comes at a tense time as he prepares to leave office with the Mideast situation boiling over and political criticism at home over his handling of a recent hurricane that struck the US southeast.

Biden said he was doing his best to avoid a full-scale conflagration in the Middle East, where Israel is bombing Lebanon in a bid to wipe out the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

"The main thing we can do is try to rally the rest of the world and our allies into participating... to tamp this down," he told reporters.

"But when you have (Iranian) proxies as irrational as Hezbollah and the Houthis (of Yemen)... it's a hard thing to determine."

Biden however had tough words for Netanyahu, with whom he has had rocky relations as he seeks to manage Israel's response following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

The Israeli premier has repeatedly ignored Biden's calls for restraint on Lebanon, and on Israel's war in Gaza, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians.

Biden deflected a question on whether he believed Netanyahu was hanging back on signing a Middle East peace deal in a bid to influence the US presidential election.

"No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None, none, none. And I think Bibi should remember that," Biden said.

"And whether he's trying to influence the election, I don't know, but I'm not counting on that."

Biden said he had still not spoken to Netanyahu since the Iranian attack, which involved some 200 missiles, but added their teams were in "constant contact."

"They're not going to make a decision immediately, and so we're going to wait to see when they want to talk," the US leader added.

Iran said its attack was in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah has been launching rockets at Israel since shortly after the October 7, 2023 attacks.