Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi has described the Houthis as an “enduring” threat to Yemen, the region and international shipping lanes, and criticized what he termed “incentives and concessions from certain international actors” made to the militias.
During a panel discussion organized by the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow on Thursday, al-Alimi stated: We are confronting a sectarian theocratic project that does not recognize the state or the law and is rooted in the ideology of divine right to rule. These are the very ideas Russia has historically opposed in various arenas, in defense of the civil state.”
He criticized the lack of an accurate understanding of the Yemeni situation and the prevalence of misleading narratives in some international circles, including certain think tanks and decision-making institutions, which still view Yemen through a blurred lens or as part of a geopolitical conflict solvable through superficial compromises.
He identified among these false narratives claims portraying the Houthis as an “oppressed minority” suitable for political assimilation.
“The truth is we face an armed doctrinal movement grounding its authority in 'divine right' theology, while rejecting all civil state constructs and the principle of equal citizenship,” he said.
Al-Alimi deemed even more dangerous the designation of the Houthis as a “transient threat” linked to the repercussions of the Gaza war. He affirmed this to be a mistaken and misleading perception.
He explained that the Houthis are an enduring and structural danger to Yemen, the region, and international shipping lanes.
Al-Alimi drew attention to the fact that ship piracy, naval mine deployment, and Red Sea piracy did not begin in 2024, but have been a recurrent Houthi tactic for years.
He affirmed that the Houthis' criminal conduct mirrors that of organizations and groups that Moscow itself condemns, including targeting airports and seaports, booby-trapping mosques, schools, and hospitals, suppressing women's rights, child conscription, and militarizing civilian infrastructure.
He added: “Despite all this, the Houthis continue to receive incentives and concessions from certain international actors, while the legitimate government, representing Yemen's constitutional framework, stands accused of weakness or division. This completely ignores the reality that it effectively controls approximately 70% of Yemen's territory and unites all national components under its umbrella.”
“What is required today is restoring the logic of the state against claims of divine guardianship ... while supporting legitimate institutions against illegitimate armed groups. This is the same principle Russia has consistently upheld in its global counterterrorism efforts,” he added.
Al- Alimi reaffirmed Yemen's unequivocal position supporting the Palestinian people's right to an independent state and the imperative to halt Israeli aggressions. However, he stressed that this stance cannot be exploited to justify Iran's behavior in the region or to advance its agenda through proxies, as witnessed in Yemen.
“Iran’s expansionist policies threaten not only Yemen but also destabilize the entire Red Sea and Horn of Africa region,” he warned.
He noted with concern the Houthis’ close ties with al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other criminal organizations, entities that share ideological alignment, mutual interests, and logistical cooperation with the group. “This signals the resurgence of cross-border terrorist networks,” he said.
Al-Alimi held talks in Moscow on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
