Iran’s government urged an immediate halt to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen and a resumption of dialogue, marking its first public response since Iran-backed Houthi rebels captured the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha. According to sources from the AP, AFP, and Reuters, the move significantly heightens risks to a vital global shipping corridor that serves as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. In an official statement via the state-run IRNA news agency, Iran’s foreign ministry emphasized that Yemen’s sovereignty must be respected and that its conflicts cannot be resolved through blockades or military alliances. Tehran also expressed readiness to assist in peace negotiations, which experts note could strengthen its diplomatic leverage following over six months of conflict. The capture of Mokha on Thursday puts the Houthis within 50 miles of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, representing their largest territorial advance in years. U.N. special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned during an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting that the renewed fighting marks the end of a four-year relative calm established by a U.N.-brokered truce. Yemeni U.N. Ambassador Abdullah Al-Saadi urged the Security Council to condemn the escalation and implement arms restrictions against the militia, while Saudi U.U. Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil stated that Riyadh remains committed to peace but will take necessary measures to counter Houthi threats. Meanwhile, U.S. diesel prices reached a record national average of $6.05 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA data, surging over 60% from $3.71 a year prior and placing heavy pressure on the transportation, construction, and agricultural sectors. Additionally, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced it targeted and destroyed a U.S. Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel in the Strait of Hormuz region, following a separate incident earlier in the week where an unmanned U.S. underwater drone was captured.
Source: cbsnews.com
