[Al Arabiya Latest] Yemen hit out on Wednesday at what it called Iranian "interference" in its affairs after Tehran's foreign minister said his country could help Sanaa restore security as it attempts to crush the Shiite Houthi rebels."In response to the remarks of (Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr) Mottaki, we affirm that Yemen categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs by any party whatsoever," the official Saba news agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying.
" Iran is prepared to cooperate with the government of Yemen and other nations in order to restore security in Yemen "Iran FM |
Mottaki told a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday that "countries of the region must seriously hold back from intervening in Yemen's internal affairs."
"Those who pour oil on the fire must know that they will not be spared from the smoke that billows," he said.
Mottaki warned against regional intervention in Yemen, where the Shiite Houthi rebels and Saudi troops have been engaged in fighting in the border area for the past week.
Yemeni government forces launched Operation Scorched Earth against the Zaidi rebels in the north on Aug. 11 and the conflict widened last week when neighboring Saudi Arabia also entered the fray.
The government in Sanaa has accused Iran of supporting the rebels, and in October announced it had captured five Iranians attempting to smuggle a boatload of weapons to them.