Local Editor

Iran reiterated the country’s principled stance toward the ongoing crisis in Yemen, highlighting the United Nations’ [UN] role in seeking a political solution for the crisis in Yemen.

In talks with visiting UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on Wednesday, Iranian officials including Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif backed his efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen.

Stressing the UN role "in finding a political solution in Yemen", Zarif called for "the participation of all Yemeni groups" in talks Cheikh Ahmed is hoping to convene in Switzerland’s Geneva this month [November], the IRNA news agency reported.

Zarif once again reaffirmed the need for an end to the disastrous situation in Yemen, saying that months of aggression and military approaches have led to nothing but the destruction of Yemen’s infrastructures and the slaughter of innocent people in this country.

For his part, Cheikh Ahmed praised Iran as "an important and influential country in the region" which has "a determining role in the fight against terrorism", IRNA reported.

The UN envoy also held a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Amir Abdollahian expressed the hope that regional countries would help the new round of UN-brokered negotiations lead to a sustainable agreement that restores peace and stability to war-ravaged Yemen.

The country has been under relentless airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition since late March. 

A Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States has been carrying out a military aggression on Yemen by launching airstrikes against the country since March 26 in a bid to restore power to fugitive former Yemeni president Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Saudi Arabia.

The airstrikes have not been authorized by the UN.

Over 2,615 civilians have been killed in the conflict in the last six months, according to the UN. Yet, other organization put the death toll at much higher. 

According to the Yemeni health ministry, the death toll from the Saudi-led aggression against Yemen so far is more than 6,000, adding that 1,277 of those killed were children.