Iran and Turkey at Odds on Strikes in Yemen

Iran condemned the recent strikes in Yemen orchestrated a coalition led by Saudi Arabia. 

More than 100 Saudi Arabian jets pounded Yemeni targets early Thursday in a drive to stop the Houthi advance through the country.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said that the military action would “further complicate the situation, spread the crisis and remove opportunities for a peaceful resolution of Yemen's internal differences.”

“This aggression will have no result except to spread terrorism and extremism, and increase insecurity throughout the region,” she said in a statement, calling for an immediate halt to the air strikes.

Her comments were echoed by Alaedin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, who accused Saudi Arabia of irresponsibility.

“The fact that Saudi Arabia has fanned the flames of a new war in the region shows its carelessness,” he said, in comments carried by the Fars news agency.

“The smoke of this fire will go into the eyes of Saudi Arabia as war is never limited to one place only. We hope this military operation will be halted immediately and the Yemen problem solved through political means.”

Turkey: We support it

Turkey, on the other hand, released a statement through its foreign ministry website, saying that it had been informed prior to the operation. 

Foreign Ministry’s statement read as follows:

“We strongly condemn the continuation of the unilateral actions by the Houthi movement militias who have refused to withdraw from Sana and Government institutions by rejecting the UN Security Council Resolution No. 2201, besides  all agreements concluded in Yemen and also the military operation they launched to capture  Aden where legitimate President Hadi has taken refuge and declared as the temporary capital.

“As a result of these  developments, the political transition process that began under  the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative in 2011 has been derailed  and the achievements of this process has been reversed.

“It is obvious that this situation would aggravate the grave humanitarian and economic problems that confront the Yemeni people, created  a ground to be exploited by terrorist groups and poses a serious threat to the international peace, stability and security.

“We support the military operation launched by a coalition force consisting of the countries in the region, led by the countries of Gulf Cooperation Council against the Houthi movement upon the request of the legitimately elected President Hadi, about   which Saudi Arabia informed Turkey in advance. We believe that this operation will contribute to the prevention of the threat of civil war and chaos that emerged and to the restoration of the legitimate state authority. 

“We call upon the Houthi movement and its foreign supporters to give up on their acts threatening the peace and security in Yemen and the region.” (YY/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.