Iran Urges End to Saudi Blockade of Yemen, Calls for Immediate Talks

Iran's government on Friday urged an end to Saudi Arabia's blockade of Yemen and pressed for the immediate resumption of talks, in its first official statement since Iranian-backed Houthi rebels captured the port city of Mokha.

The Foreign Ministry, in a statement carried by the state-run IRIB news agency, called for a return to negotiations between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. It stressed the need to respect Yemen's independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and described the blockade as unlawful and inhumane.

"Without a doubt, security and stability in West Asia and the Red Sea region cannot be achieved without respecting the public rights, legitimate rights and dignity of the great Yemeni people," the ministry said.

The statement also emphasised the need to address issues concerning the Islamic Ummah, particularly at a time when, it said, the West Asia region faces unprecedented aggression, oppression and expansionism. It reiterated that matters related to Yemen cannot be resolved through a continued blockade and military coalition-building.

The diplomatic appeal came as Houthi rebels captured a strategic island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea, according to two officials. The capture of Mayun, a tiny, barren volcanic island, was confirmed by a senior military official with Yemen's internationally recognised government and by a Houthi official. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to journalists.

The advance further threatens Saudi oil exports through one of the world's key commercial lanes. Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes against the airport in Mokha, which the Houthis had seized on Thursday, a Houthi broadcaster said. There was no immediate report of damage or deaths, and no immediate Saudi comment on Friday.