For the past three weeks, and with widespread success, the international coalition of Arab nations has been striking hard against Al Houthi subversives who are attempting to overthrow the legitimate and rightful government of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi in Yemen. With support from Popular Committees on the ground, the international force — in which the UAE is proud to play a leading role — has stemmed Al Houthi advances and turned them back in key areas.
The capture on the ground of military officers belonging to an elite Revolutionary Guard shows the levels of interference in this subversive campaign from Tehran. And Al Houthis have been armed to the teeth with weaponry supplied from Iran. At least now, the United Nations Security Council recognises the scale of the arms supply. Meeting in New York on Tuesday, the UN imposed a strict arms embargo on Al Houthis, making it clear to the entire world that supply and provision of arms and weaponry to the terrorists contravenes international law and would represent an act that would be met with punitive measures from the international community.
In addition, the Security Council also imposed a global asset freeze and travel ban on blacklisted Ahmad Saleh, the son of the former president of Yemen, and on Abdul Malek Al Houthi, and called on Al Houthi militants to stop fighting and withdraw from areas they have illegally seized.
Make no mistake: This resolution at the highest diplomatic and international level shows that the scourge of Al Houthis is recognised as illegitimate, illegal and interfering in the proper affairs and governance of Yemen. The Security Council resolution has, in effect, endorsed the international Arab force that was forced to intervene militarily to save the people of Yemen and their government. These were actions, resolutions and sanctions not imposed on a whim, but only taken after consultation and deliberation and watching Al Houthis move with a vengeance on Sana’a and Aden.
And if Iran is serious in wanting international sanctions against it lifted, it would do well to heed the latest Security Council measures on Yemen. It can’t pick and choose when to participate in abiding by rules.
