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| Arabia |
| Yemen blames Iran after weapons haul |
| 2013-02-08 |
| Yemen's president has called on Iran to stop backing armed groups in his country after coastguards seized a ship carrying missiles and rockets. Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's message came amid speculation the weapons originated in the Iran. Tehran has denied any connection to the weapons; Yemen has asked the UN Security Council to investigate. The Sanaa government fears Iran is working with separatists and rebels in the south to destabilise the country. The weapons were found aboard a vessel intercepted off Yemen's coast on 23 January in an coordinated with the US Navy. Officials say the shipment included anti-aircraft missiles, Katyusha rockets, rocket propelled grenades and C4 explosives. Reports suggest the weapons were destined for the Red Sea port of Al-Mukha, and that their intended recipients were the Houthis - a Shia insurgent group based in northern Yemen. Government official Abdel-Rashid Abdel Hafez said Mr Mansour Hadi had contacted his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to demand Tehran stop smuggling in weapons. Mr Abdel Hafez gave no more details about the correspondence. Correspondents say the discovery of the shipment will further sour ties between Iran and Yemen. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #4 Its the BBC. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2013-02-08 14:40 |
| #3 intercepted off Yemen's coast on 23 January in an coordinated with the US Navy. Something missing here? In A coordinated WHAT? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2013-02-08 14:18 |
| #2 And Saudi. It would be like the fall in terrorism when the Communists imploded. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2013-02-08 10:18 |
| #1 If Iran was "addressed", a huge percentage of M.E. problems would be eliminated. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2013-02-08 09:47 |