Iran has increased calls for a peaceful solution to the Yemeni crisis and wants a unity government to be formed. The remarks came at a moment when its 34th flotilla of warships left the shores for the Gulf of Aden on a mission to protect the country’s cargo ships and oil tankers against pirates according to officials.
Iranian President’s Special Envoy Morteza Sarmadi who serves as the deputy foreign minister was speaking to reporters in Beirut after meeting Lebanese officials with whom he discussed matters relating to the expansion of their bilateral ties as well as regional and global developments of mutual interest when he said “all influential and active political currents and factions” should come together “to form a government of national unity that can govern Yemeni affairs in the best way possible” because a single political faction cannot govern the country. Tehran has often been accused of supporting the Houthi movement.
Iran wants an end to the Saudi-led coalition bombings citing that it has undertaken “good initiatives and efforts” that will help to reach a political solution.
Tension between Iran and the Sunni states in the region has been on the rise as they accuse the Iranian government to trying to impose its influence in the region. There were reports that Iran’s 33rd fleet of warships was forced out of the Gulf of Aden by Egyptian warships recently but Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari denied them stating that “the Navy warships powerfully safeguard the Islamic Republic’s interests in free waters and will be deployed in any region if necessary.”
The 34th fleet of warships which began a 3month mission on Wednesday comprises of the Alborz destroyer and Bushehr helicopter-carrier warship and it is expected to operate close to Yemen.
