Tehran Dismisses Reports on Capture of Iranian Military Officers in Yemen

An unidentified source at the Iranian Defense Ministry dismissed earlier reports about Iranian officers, allegedly kidnapped by militants in the Yemeni city of Aden.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A source at the Iranian Defense Ministry in an interview to Sputnik on Saturday dismissed media reports about two Iranian officers having been kidnapped by militants in the southern port city of Aden.

Earlier media reports suggested that the kidnapped Iranian officers advised Houthi fighters.

"There are no Iranian soldiers in Yemen to be kidnapped. These are attempts by certain countries to prove that Iran is participating in the military operation in Yemen."

Yemen is at the moment the scene of violent clashes between Houthi militants and troops loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who fled the country amid the hostilities in the country.

Yemeni officials have claimed that Iran was supplying weapons to the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen. Tehran has denied the provision of any military support to the rebels.

Hadi asked the Arab League for military aid on March 25 and, following his request, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition began to carry out airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.

The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, and Egypt form the coalition, alongside Saudi Arabia. The United States is providing intelligence, targeting and logistical support.