US Envoy: Marib is Not Falling Now, It’s Not Going to Fall in Foreseeable Future

A Yemeni soldier mans a position near the frontline facing Iran-backed Houthis in the country's northeastern province of Marib, on May 13, 2021. (Photo by STR / AFP)
A Yemeni soldier mans a position near the frontline facing Iran-backed Houthis in the country's northeastern province of Marib, on May 13, 2021. (Photo by STR / AFP)
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US Envoy: Marib is Not Falling Now, It’s Not Going to Fall in Foreseeable Future

A Yemeni soldier mans a position near the frontline facing Iran-backed Houthis in the country's northeastern province of Marib, on May 13, 2021. (Photo by STR / AFP)
A Yemeni soldier mans a position near the frontline facing Iran-backed Houthis in the country's northeastern province of Marib, on May 13, 2021. (Photo by STR / AFP)

US Special Envoy Tim Lenderking asserted that his country is ready to play a constructive role in bringing Yemeni parties together, while announcing that Washington is imposing sanctions on Houthi commanders.

The international community is more troubled with the group’s use of violence in Yemen and the US is “troubled by the fact that the Houthis continue to fight in Marib,” Lenderking said in a call with reporters, asserting that despite all their predictions, the city did not fall during Ramadan.

"It’s not falling now and it’s not going to fall anytime in the foreseeable future. So, the Houthis aren’t winning in Marib and instead, they are putting a great deal of stress on an already very fragile humanitarian situation.”

The new sanctions were imposed on the head of the general staff leading the Houthi offensive in Marib, Mohamad Abdulkarim al-Gamali, and prominent Houthi leader Yousuf al-Madani.

“If there were no offensive, if there was a commitment to peace, if the parties were all showing up to deal constructively with the UN envoy there would be no need for designations,” Lenderking said.

He indicated that the US is imposing sanctions on the two officials to show the international community that Washington “does have levers to press” and it is “dissatisfied with the actions of the Houthis.”

The envoy said the US “constantly and continually” assesses Houthi behavior and actions.

Lenderking’s resentment was evident during his statements, and he was displeased with the Houthis for refusing to meet with UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths.

The envoy’s statements revealed disparities between the US administration and the UN. However, he stressed that Washington agrees with the objectives of the UN peace plan.

“We are not the United Nations. We are the United States. We have our own voice. We have our own perspective. We have our own expertise. We have our own views on the conflict and how to resolve it. And in that regard, we are very clear with the United Nations, very open conversations that we have with them, about the way forward. And it’s an excellent relationship, and we have great respect for the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths,” asserted Lenderking.

Asharq Al-Awsat asked the envoy about the possibility of meeting the Houthis after they refused to hold talks with Griffiths. Lenderking indicated that he met them over the years on a number of occasions and at different levels, and certainly there is no restriction from the administration on meeting with them, describing it as a “constructive engagement.”

“Houthis have an important role to play in Yemen, and we’re eager to get beyond the military conflict so that the Houthis can play that role and begin to talk about – begin a real conversation and a sustained conversation that brings Yemenis together to decide the future of their country,” said the envoy.

He also stressed that the international community has a responsibility which it is eager to meet to create that platform so that Yemenis can be talking together, noting that “we’re all impatient to get there. And as the fighting continues, it becomes more difficult to get to that very important objective.”

Lenderking pointed out that during his five trips to the Gulf region since his appointment, he had contact with all of the Gulf countries, and has been in very close contact with European partners.

On his last trip, Lenderking traveled with Griffiths and US Senator Chris Murphy, which he thinks "showed the alignment between the branches of the US Government and the United States and the United Nations. And I do think, as an observer, as a keen observer of the Yemen conflict for the last six years, I haven’t seen this level of alignment between the administration and Congress.”

He noted that there is also a “very strong alignment” between member states of the UN Security Council toward a resolution of the Yemen conflict.

The envoy said he was disappointed that on his last trip to Oman, the Houthis declined to meet with the UN special envoy, noting that wasn’t just that particular meeting that was problematic.

“It’s a trend, where the Houthis while showing constructive engagement on a number of occasions with different stakeholders, have then backtracked or, as we say in sports terminology, moved the goalposts to what has been agreed to. And there won’t be a peace deal without strong Houthi support.”

He also indicated that Houthis are putting a “great deal of stress on an already very fragile humanitarian situation,” and putting the lives of “one million internally displaced people – these are people who have already fled from war in Yemen they’re putting their lives in danger as well.”

“The offensive in Marib is not going anywhere. There’s a significant amount of intimidation of Yemeni tribes and families that are involved to get young men to go to the battlefield. They’re not dying for a valuable cause, in the view of the United States and in the view of the international community,” Lenderking told reporters.

He noted that the international community has become more aligned on the fact that the Marib offensive is deeply troubling, and also counter to claims by the Houthis to want to make peace.

The envoy also addressed the talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran, saying it is “potentially a constructive engagement, and we wish both parties success because it will be not only good for the overall tensions in the region, but there should be a positive impact on the Yemen conflict in particular.”

“We are not a part of that discussion directly, as you know. But it also hearkens back to, I think, an important softening of tone in the Saudi crown prince’s interview some weeks ago both toward Iran and both toward the Houthis.”

The US welcomes any change toward the positive side from the Iranians on the Yemen conflict. However, “we don’t see it. We see continued Iranian support for the Houthi military effort both in Marib, both across the border, in trading and supplying sophisticated weaponry which inflames the conflict.”

Lenderking stated that the US is consistently one of the largest donors to the Yemen conflict, lauding the US citizens and taxpayers for supporting a distant conflict and the suffering that’s going on there.

“I believe that that support will continue, and I think that the US intends to lead by example,” indicated the envoy, pointing out that since the beginning of the conflict, the United States has funded more than $3.4 billion toward relief in Yemen, and that includes across many sectors of the Yemeni economy and the Yemeni social structure and for COVID relief as well.

He asserted that the US would uphold its interests and stand by its “friends in the region,” adding that Washington is committed to consulting closely with its allies regarding its policy on Iran.

The Envoy asserted that the US supports dialogue between countries in the region in the interest of security and stability, noting that if Iran wants to show it can be a reasonable actor, “now is the time to start doing so by not meddling and fueling the conflict in Yemen, and by supporting peace talks.”



Iraq Turns to Gulf for Alternative to Gas from Iran

Vehicles drive during heavy rainfall in Baghdad, Iraq, March 8, 2025. (Reuters)
Vehicles drive during heavy rainfall in Baghdad, Iraq, March 8, 2025. (Reuters)
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Iraq Turns to Gulf for Alternative to Gas from Iran

Vehicles drive during heavy rainfall in Baghdad, Iraq, March 8, 2025. (Reuters)
Vehicles drive during heavy rainfall in Baghdad, Iraq, March 8, 2025. (Reuters)

Baghdad said on Saturday it had not officially received the United States’ decision to rescind a waiver that had allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity.

The Trump administration rescinded the waiver on Saturday as part of President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, a State Department spokesperson said.

The decision to let Iraq's waiver lapse upon its expiration "ensures we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief," the spokesperson said, adding that Trump's campaign on Iran aims "to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop it from supporting terrorist groups."

For Iraq, the end of the waiver "presents temporary operational challenges," said Farhad Alaaeldin, foreign affairs adviser to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

"The government is actively working on alternatives to sustain electricity supply and mitigate any potential disruptions," Alaaeldin told Reuters. "Strengthening energy security remains a national priority, and efforts to enhance domestic production, improve grid efficiency and invest in new technologies will continue at full pace."

Trump initially granted waivers to several buyers to meet consumer energy needs when he reimposed sanctions on Iran's energy exports in 2018, citing its nuclear program and what the US calls its meddling in the Middle East.

His administration and that of Joe Biden repeatedly renewed Iraq's waiver while urging Baghdad to reduce its dependence on Iranian electricity. The State Department spokesperson reiterated that call on Saturday.

"We urge the Iraqi government to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible," the spokesperson said. "Iran is an unreliable energy supplier."

The Iraqi government acknowledged that ending the import of gas from Iran without ready alternatives will lead to the collapse of the electricity grid during the hot summer season.

An Iraqi government spokesman said in a statement that "dialogue between Baghdad and Washington will continue as both sides realize the importance of Iraq as a main factor of stability in the region."

Iraq has been fully committed to the waiver and it had set a long-term strategy to achieve independence in the energy sector, he went on to say, while highlighting financial reform enacted by Baghdad and efforts to bolster transparency according to international standards.

The government is looking at the worst-case scenario in various fields, including energy, and has started to hold intense meetings to overcome any electrify crisis, he added.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee said Iraq will seek alternatives, including turning to the Gulf, to secure fuel for its power plants.

Another parliamentary committee has warned that the energy sector will collapse during the summer when temperatures soar.

Spokesman for the Oil and Gas Committee Ali Shaddad said on Sunday that the government will turn to the Gulf for gas.

The problem is that the electricity ministry had built power plants in Iraqi provinces that only operate on gas. The stations located in Basra operate on gas and oil, which has helped keep energy generation in the province stable, he revealed.

The prime minister himself is following up on the completion of a gas pipeline from Basra. The energy ministry has been working on the project for 30 days already and it will be completed within 120, he added.

Iraq produces 27,000 megawatts of electricity through plants that mostly operate on gas. Production occasionally drops to 17,000 megawatts. The total production does not meet the country’s daily needs, which is 40,000 megawatts.

Dr. Ihssan Shmary, professor of strategic and international studies at Baghdad University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US decision to rescind the waiver is a precursor to gradually start imposing sanctions on Iraq.

He said the sanctions will cover entities, institutions and even some figures.

The US decision effectively confirms that the administration does not distinguish between Iran and Iraq and it sees the former as a card to impose its maximum pressure policy on the latter, he stressed.

The decision has greater political rather than technical implications, especially since the next decisions may alter the balances of power in Iraq, he explained.

On the alternative to gas from Iran, he said efforts should be exerted to boost the electricity connection with Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom can also help develop Iraq’s energy sector and connect it to the Gulf, he said.