Iranian meddling in Yemen elicits Saudi response

Posted on November 11, 2009 by Moin Ansari

The Iranian tentacles reach the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, the Shia clerics of Pakistan, the militants of Hizbullah in Iran, and the Shias of Yemen. Across all this vast region the neighbors accuse Iran of interference. In some cases the interference is welcomed by the Muslim world. However this reach across borders is a double edged sword. The Iranian mullahs have taken a just stand on Palestine, and Kashmir. However they want to topple Arab governments which scares many of the Arab states.

The West of course paints this a Shia Sunni schism—where as in fact this is simply geopolitics. The Iranians were at odds with Pakistan in Afghanistan not because of Shia or Sunni rifts000it was a matter of territory. In Yemen, Iran sees a window of opportunity to destabilize the kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is seen by Tehran as heretic dictatorship of a family of Saud. In the Gulf States Iran sees the khalifas and the potentates as vestiges of colonialism which need to be replaced with popularly elected leaders. Sound motives, but who will bell the cat and can it be done peacefully through evolution instead of revolution.

The Islamic revolution on the verge of atomic power has a new found confidence which is ready to challenge the Western paradigm.

TEHRAN, Nov. 10 (UPI) — Tehran called on regional leaders to avoid meddling in the internal affairs of Yemen amid reports of Saudi military raids on rebel posts in Yemen.

Al-Houthi rebels in north Yemen clashed with Saudi military forces along the shared border in recent days. There are claims the Saudi military has used white phosphorus munitions on the rebels. Al-Houthi fighters, for their part, claim they captured a member of the Saudi security forces.

Yemen launched a scorched earth campaign against al-Houthi rebels in the north of the country in early August. The government there accuses Iran of supporting the Shiite rebel movement as Riyadh backs the military campaign.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called for all parties to abstain from getting involved in the conflict, Iran’s state-funded broadcaster Press TV reports.

"We strongly advise regional and neighboring states not to interfere in Yemen’s internal affairs and try to restore peace and stability to the state," he said. "Stability in Yemen will contribute to regional stability."

Mottaki went on to warn the escalating conflict in Yemen had the potential to spill over to engulf neighboring states in the region.

"What we are trying to do is to help restore peace and stability to regional countries," he added.

The problems in Yemen can’t be wished away. Neither can the issues of Lebanon, Palestine and kingdoms be resolved overnight. The best answer is to work with the states and resolve issues amicably and through the OIC. If the West is called in, it will result in bloodshed of the Muslims. Iraq is a case in point.

Filed under: Current Affairs

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