Morteza Abedini, in an interview with the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, referred to the adoption of the resolution on extending the arms embargo on Ansarollah Yemen in the UN Security Council and noted: The resolution was issued while no weapons have been officially sent to Yemen so far, and no country has spoken of selling weapons to that country or to Ansarollah.

He added: Ali Abdullah Saleh, the resigned president of Yemen, had said in an interview before his assassination that he had imported weapons to Yemen for 12 years! This shows that how much weapons exist there. The special facts and conditions of Yemen should not be ignored; because, according to the UN Sanctions Committee, Mansour Hadi’s forces are officially selling weapons to Ansarollah in exchange for money.

Emphasizing that arms procurement is easy in Yemen in return for paying money, the expert on Yemen affairs said that adoption of such resolutions has a more political function, adding: The decision should be evaluated within the context of political pressure rather than military pressure.

Abedini stressed that issues of Yemen should be resolved through political dialogue, adding: The solution to Yemen issue is political, and the parties should reach an agreement in the political dialogue, within the framework of the interests of the country and unity of Yemen. Unfortunately, such actions by some countries and the United Nations, while adding to the tensions, complicate the peace process and lead to the prolongation of the war. Under the current situation, there are serious concerns about the consequences of prolongation of the Yemen war.

Danger of possible disintegration of Yemen

He explained: The issue of separation of the two Yemen is a serious issue. This war will surely end sometime; but there is the concern that when the war ends, we will actually face two Yemen, and this is not in the interest of either side, and will create many dangers. In fact, under the current situation, borders of the two Yemen correspond to the borders of North Yemen and South Yemen. The southern provinces are almost under the control of the opposing sides and the northern provinces are under the control of Ansarollah.

The former Iranian diplomat in Sanaa considered the efforts to declare Ansarollah as a terrorist group or imposition of various sanctions against them as a factor in complicating the Yemeni political dialogue and emphasized: by declaring Ansarollah as being terrorist, even countries like Oman that try to have an intermediate position, cannot communicate with that group.

Abedini referred to Ansarollah’s recent military achievements in the field battle with the Saudi coalition and said: Certainly, if military advances and achievements cannot be turned into political achievements, they will not be enough and will not be a determining factor.

He reminded: The reason why the Americans had not included Ansarollah in the list of terrorist groups so far was that they could have a connection with that group, albeit indirectly; but if they come to the conclusion that their interests require them to put the group in the terrorist list, the way to negotiations will be closed.

The expert on Yemen affairs, referring to the consensus and coordination of the UN Security Council member states on Yemen, as well as the high volume of arms sales to Saudi Arabia by Western countries that have been used in the war against the Yemeni people, continued: By passing this resolution, the other side can receive more modern equipment and more support; but internationally, Ansarollah’s hand will become tighter.

Abedini detailed the numerous reports released by the United Nations in which it is emphasized that Yemen is known as the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world, and said: The Yemen war will definitely have no winner and the losers are the people of that country. Under the current situation, a balance has been struck in a clear format and the borders of the two Yemenis have been formed. Therefore, the two sides must consider the interests of their country, regardless of international and regional pressures, so that the united Yemen be able to survive.

Complication of peace process in Yemen

Pointing to the decisiveness of the pressures exerted by the UAE and Saudi Arabia for passing the resolution extending Ansarollah’s arms embargo in the UN Security Council, in an attempt to influence Ansarollah’s field achievements, he added: Ansarollah’s opposition is trying to use any means to weaken the group. Of course, it should be noted that the big mistake the Westerners made was to pass Resolution 2216; after a while, they themselves admitted that the adoption of that resolution made the peace process in Yemen more complicated. Such pressures can now be analyzed in the same way.

The expert on Yemen affairs said: They want to put political pressure on Ansarollah with such threats to make it give up some of its positions so that they can impose their demands. Of course, Ansarollah must also be able to be more vigilant by exploiting military achievements in the political arena.

Abedini reminded: It should not be forgotten that the Security Council member states, even China and Russia, would never ignore their interests in relations with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other Arab countries and would not vote for Yemen.