Iranian Vessel Seized in Yemeni Waters

Socotra’s territorial waters (Getty)
Socotra’s territorial waters (Getty)
TT

Iranian Vessel Seized in Yemeni Waters

Socotra’s territorial waters (Getty)
Socotra’s territorial waters (Getty)

Yemen's caretaker minister of fishery, Fahd Kafayn, said Thursday that Yemeni naval forces stopped an Iranian vessel off the coast of the Mahrah governorate in the southeast.

Kafayn wrote on his Twitter account that the Iranian vessel was seized on Thursday morning while on an illegal fishing mission.

The Global Fishing Watch and the Trygg Mat Tracking (TMT) that provide information and analyses on fisheries to combat illegal fishing, said in a report released end of June that nearly 200 Iranian vessels were detected doing illegal fishing in Somali and Yemeni waters.

The report said that Iran uses Yemen and Somalia low maritime security to practice one of the world’s largest illegal fishing operations.

Yemen’s government has frequently accused Iran of using fishing ships in Yemeni territorial waters to cover its smuggling of arms, ballistic missiles and drones to the Tehran-backed Houthi group.

Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani had said the report proves that during the 2019-2020 fishing season, a 192-strong Iranian fleet was illegally operating in the Northwest Indian Ocean, including 144 in Yemeni waters with what appears to be behavior consistent with fishing activity.

Previous Yemeni reports said that the Yemeni authorities have seized 13 Iranian vessels inside Yemeni territorial waters over the past three years, including nine ships seized in the Socotra archipelago.
The vessels are among the 43 ships that illegally entered Yemeni waters and practiced various prohibited activities during 2016.

The legitimate government had several times seized ships loaded with arms on their way to the Houthi militias, and other vessels engaged in prohibited activities under the cover of fishing.

In previous statements, Eryani said the prohibited activities of vessels represented a blatant attack on Yemeni fisheries and water, adding that the legitimate government, in coordination with the Arab coalition and through diplomatic channels, was and continues to face these Iranian aggressions.



European Leaders: Iran Must Not Take Destabilizing Action

A Pakistani woman holds a national flag of Iran during a rally in solidarity with the Iranian people, in Karachi, Pakistan, 22 June 2025. EPA/SHAHZAIB AKBER
A Pakistani woman holds a national flag of Iran during a rally in solidarity with the Iranian people, in Karachi, Pakistan, 22 June 2025. EPA/SHAHZAIB AKBER
TT

European Leaders: Iran Must Not Take Destabilizing Action

A Pakistani woman holds a national flag of Iran during a rally in solidarity with the Iranian people, in Karachi, Pakistan, 22 June 2025. EPA/SHAHZAIB AKBER
A Pakistani woman holds a national flag of Iran during a rally in solidarity with the Iranian people, in Karachi, Pakistan, 22 June 2025. EPA/SHAHZAIB AKBER

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Sunday urged Iran not to take any actions that would further destabilize the region following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities overnight.

"We have consistently been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and can no longer pose a threat to regional security," the government heads of Germany, Britain, France, known as the E3, said in a joint statement.

"We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to an agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear program. We stand ready to contribute to that goal in coordination with all parties."

The E3 also confirmed their support for the security of Israel, the statement said.

US forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said late on Saturday, warning Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace.

"We will continue our joint diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions and ensure the conflict does not intensify and spread further," the E3 statement said.