An Iranian deputy foreign minister said that Tehran will respond against Riyadh after Saudi fighter jets blocked Iranian planes, including a consignment of humanitarian aid, from landing in Yemen.
“Saudi Arabia’s behavior in besieging Yemen and preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid will not remain unanswered,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Sunday.
A few days earlier, Saudi warplanes refused an Iranian plane containing humanitarian goods landing in Yemen and forced it to return to Tehran.
“We are considering all options for helping the Yemeni people, the immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance and transfer of the injured (Yemenis),” Amir Abdollahian added.
Deploring the Saudi-led offensive on Yemen, the Iranian diplomat warned that Riyadh’s continued military action against Yemenis will result in nothing but insecurity in Saudi Arabia and the region.
Saudi Arabia on March 26 launched a military campaign against Yemen with some its Arab allies. The coalition’s justification for the air strikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement was to restore power to fugitive Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
Later on April 21, Saudis declared a halt to the month-long air campaign. But hours later, air strikes and ground fighting resumed and the International Red Cross described the humanitarian situation as “catastrophic.”
