Local Editor

Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri underlined the necessity for finding a negotiated solution to the crisis in Yemen, and lashed out at the United Nations [UN] Security Council for its inaction to end the catastrophic conditions in the impoverished country.

Speaking at a meeting with the chairman of the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] Peter Maurer, Jahangiri said that Yemeni women and children are now facing with hard conditions.

"The UN Security Council could have played a more effective role to prevent complicated and catastrophic conditions in Yemen," Jahangiri said.

He stated that the formation of the extremist groups is one of the main problems of the region and the world.

He added that the Yemen crisis can only be resolved through political means and dialogue among various Yemeni groups.

Jahangiri further stressed the need for a stronger role of the ICRC in forwarding humanitarian aid to the oppressed Yemeni nation.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to increase its humanitarian aid to Yemen by the ICRC," he reiterated.

In the meeting, Maurer thanked Iran’s productive cooperation with the ICRC, and said, "We are eager to expand cooperation with Iran and to that end we had talks with Iran’s Red Crescent Society for strengthening strategic cooperation."

He further supported Iranian vice-president’s call for a political Yemeni-Yemeni solution to the crisis in Yemen. 

A Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States has been carrying out airstrikes against Yemen since March. The airstrikes have not been authorized by the United Nations [UN].

The death toll of civilians has risen to at least 1,916, with another 4,186 civilians wounded since the escalation of the conflict in Yemen in March, according to the UN recently last week.

The US-led Saudi aggression was launched in an attempt to restore power to the fugitive former Yemeni President, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Saudi Arabia.