Iran Urges Complete Lifting of Saudi Blockade on Yemen

"The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the ceasefire in Yemen, and emphasizes the need to completely lift the humanitarian blockade and send humanitarian aid to Yemen," Iranian Foreign Minister Hosein Amir Abdolahian said Friday in a telephone conversation with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Ahmed Naser al-Muhamad al-Sabah.

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Saudi Arabia has maintained an ironclad sea, air and land blockade against Yemen since March 2015, when the campaign of aggression by Riyadh and its allies against Yemen began. The blockade and the incessant bombardment by the so-called Saudi coalition have plunged Yemen into a severe humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, Yemen and the so-called coalition led by Saudi Arabia, with the mediation of the United Nations, announced on April 1 a cease-fire and reached an agreement to suspend all attacks as part of a two-month truce to end the war.

For his part, the United Nations (UN) special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced at that time that the objective of the cease-fire is "to give Yemenis a necessary break from so much violence".

At another point in his remarks, Amir Abdolahian has expressed Iran's readiness to improve relations with Kuwait and engage in dialogue with the countries of the region. 

In this context, he has said that the Iranian government, in line with its policy of strengthening relations with neighbors, stresses practical cooperation among regional countries in addition to dialogue. 

The Kuwaiti foreign minister, for his part, has put his hope that the UN-brokered truce in Yemen will pave the way for inter-Yemeni talks and an end to the conflict. 

He also indicated that his country is determined to boost ties with Tehran, inviting the Iranian foreign minister to pay a visit to Kuwait.