Grundberg Seizes Saudi-Iranian Agreement to Push Forward Efforts to Resolve Yemen Crisis

United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg meets Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran on Tuesday. (Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen on Twitter)
United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg meets Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran on Tuesday. (Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen on Twitter)
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Grundberg Seizes Saudi-Iranian Agreement to Push Forward Efforts to Resolve Yemen Crisis

United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg meets Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran on Tuesday. (Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen on Twitter)
United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg meets Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran on Tuesday. (Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen on Twitter)

United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg seized the Saudi-Iranian agreement, which calls for restoring diplomatic relations, to carry out a visit to Tehran in the hopes of pushing forward efforts to resolve the crisis in Yemen.

The envoy met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, his senior advisor, Ali Asghar Khaji and other senior Iranian officials to discuss recent developments in Yemen

In a tweet, his office said: “Discussions tackled the need for regional support for the start of an inclusive, Yemeni-led political process under UN auspices to sustainably end the conflict.

“During meetings, Grundberg stressed that ending the conflict in Yemen is important for enhancing regional security,” it added.

The envoy is expected to deliver a briefing to the UN Security Council on Yemen on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Yemeni parties stressed that reviving peace efforts in their country cannot be achieved without the disarmament of the Iran-backed Houthi militias.

Yemeni circles have hoped that the Saudi-Iranian agreement would help ease tensions in their country and pave the way to permanent peace.

The Houthis have since October been refusing to renew and expand the nationwide truce that started in April and expired six months later.

Nearly a week since the China-sponsored agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran was announced, pro-government Yemeni parties opposed to the Houthis reiterated their support to the government that is committed to dialogue and resolving disputes through diplomatic and peaceful means.

The alliance of Yemeni parties said that achieving comprehensive and just peace cannot be established without the Houthis laying down their arms.

In a statement, they said “they greatly look forward to the role China can play and the understandings that were declared between Saudi Arabia and Iran.”

They underscored “the importance this role can play in avoiding more conflicts in the region and restoring peace and security based on good intentions.”

Moreover, they hoped this role would “lead Iran to cease supporting the Houthis and shift towards peace, ending the Houthi coup and restoring the state according to the agreed upon references.”



Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime, UN Rights Office Says

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
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Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime, UN Rights Office Says

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The UN human rights office said on Tuesday that the "weaponization" of food for civilians in Gaza constitutes a war crime, in its strongest remarks yet on a new model of aid distribution run by an Israeli-backed organization.

Over 410 people have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military while trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since it began work in late May, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters at a Geneva press briefing.

The death toll has been independently verified by his office, he added.

"Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food," he said, describing the system as "Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism".

"The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law."

Asked whether Israel was guilty of that war crime, he said: "The legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law."

Israel rejects war crimes charges in Gaza and blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the fighters deny.