On Thursday, US Naval Forces Central Commander Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan expressed concerns that Iran might be involved in the delivery of weapons to the Houthis in Yemen, including coastal defense cruise missiles. According to the official, the US Navy and its international partners have intercepted five shipments of weaponry from Iran since April 2015, allegedly heading to the Houthis.
"Such false claims are made while warmongers and traders of death and destruction keep on selling and shipping fatal weapons to Saudi Arabia despite widespread criticism and opposition made by awakened conscience and non-governmental organizations," Qasemi said, as quoted by the IRNA news agency.
He also regretted that Saudi Arabia successfully renewed UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) membership after the UN General Assembly vote on Friday, and added that the move was "a black mark in the history of mankind."
Since 2014, Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict between the government and the Houthi rebels, the country’s main opposition force. The Houthis are backed by army units loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, while the current Yemeni government is backed by the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries, which has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at the request of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
