Yemeni Government Responds to Houthi Allegations on Taiz Negotiations

Former meeting of the military committee in Amman (UN)
Former meeting of the military committee in Amman (UN)
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Yemeni Government Responds to Houthi Allegations on Taiz Negotiations

Former meeting of the military committee in Amman (UN)
Former meeting of the military committee in Amman (UN)

Yemeni military officials will meet in Amman, under the auspices of the UN envoy to Yemen, to discuss violations and the UN-sponsored ceasefire, said a Yemeni official.

Member of the government team concerned with opening the crossings, Nabil Jamel denied Houthi claims that there is a new round of negotiations regarding the reopening of crossings and roads, asserting that the Amman meeting will only address the violations and truce.

In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Jamel pointed out that the Houthi allegations are baseless, claiming the group wants to deviate attention from its rejection to agree to the UN envoy's proposals to open the Taiz crossings and other areas.

He added, "It seems that the recent mission of the UN envoy in Muscat did not yield any new results," noting that Houthis still refuse to open roads and crossings and continue to evade the implementation of any provision of the truce.

Jamel reiterated that there would be no new round of negotiations regarding the opening of Taiz roads.

The official indicated that time has passed without progress, which would put the UN envoy and the international community in front of real challenges.

The envoy and the international community must compel the Houthis to implement the armistice, he said.

"Actual steps must be taken," Jamel asserted.

Earlier, Houthi official Yahya al-Razami said the legitimacy delegation did not attend the negotiation, saying it is not serious about alleviating the suffering of the people of Taiz.

Head of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Rashad al-Alimi affirmed to the UN envoy to Yemen that the government delegation will not discuss any new issues with the Houthi militias before lifting the siege on Taiz and opening roads.

Meanwhile, a Yemeni government source confirmed that the military committee team concerned with monitoring the ceasefire and violations had already left Aden for Amman.

The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the committee had nothing to do with reopening the crossings and roads.



Turkish, US, Syrian Top Diplomats to Weigh Details of Syria’s Release from US Sanctions

People celebrate in Damascus' Umayyad square after US President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions in Syria, on May 13, 2025. (AFP)
People celebrate in Damascus' Umayyad square after US President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions in Syria, on May 13, 2025. (AFP)
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Turkish, US, Syrian Top Diplomats to Weigh Details of Syria’s Release from US Sanctions

People celebrate in Damascus' Umayyad square after US President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions in Syria, on May 13, 2025. (AFP)
People celebrate in Damascus' Umayyad square after US President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions in Syria, on May 13, 2025. (AFP)

The foreign ministers of Türkiye, the United States and Syria will meet in southern Türkiye on Thursday to discuss details of US President Donald Trump's pledge to lift sanctions on Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday.

In a surprise announcement, Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria at the behest of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

It was a major US policy shift ahead of his meeting on Wednesday with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the crown prince, and Erdogan, who joined virtually.

Erdogan has repeatedly urged Trump to rescind the US sanctions on Syria since the president returned to the White House in January.

Speaking to state broadcaster TRT Haber ahead of an informal NATO foreign ministers' meeting in the southern Turkish province of Antalya, Fidan said the leaders' meeting on Wednesday was of "historic importance".

He said the lifting of sanctions would enable financial flows, investment and infrastructure development in Syria, which was politically fractured and left in widespread ruins by the war.

"Now tomorrow, we, as the three foreign ministers - Mr. Rubio, Mr. Al-Shaibani, and myself - will come together after the NATO meeting in Antalya and we will work on how to carry forward the details of the agreement that the leaders set the framework for and agreed upon," Fidan said, referring to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

"Of course, there is a (congressional) leg to this matter in the United States, there is an administration leg, but there is a will that Mr. Trump has put forth from the start. Within the framework of this will, and the work we will do, we hope the majority of these sanctions will be lifted as soon as possible."

Removing US sanctions that cut Syria off from the global financial system will clear the way for greater engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, easing foreign investment and trade as the country rebuilds.