Attacks on Israel-bound ships in Red Sea ‘a pure Yemeni decision’: Top diplomat
Yemen’s Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf has categorically rejected US claims about Iran’s role in helping Yemen strike Israeli-owned and -bound ships in the strategic Red Sea, saying the decision was purely by the Yemeni government and armed forces in support of the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.
“The Yemeni government in Sana’a is the one who has taken that decision and that decision was based on solid grounds not to allow the Israeli aggression to continue on our brothers in Palestine, in Gaza and in different areas of the occupied land,” Sharaf said in an exclusive interview with Press TV’s Face to Face program aired on Saturday.
Sharaf underlined that Yemen is “not a threat to anyone,” describing the Yemeni forces as “peaceful.”
“Any ship that is not going to the Zionist regime and any ship that doesn’t carry an Israeli flag or is not owned by Zionists is safe from the Yemeni attacks,” he stated.
The top diplomat hailed the recent Yemeni attacks on Israeli ships in the Red Sea as a “show of solidarity” and said they were the “beginning steps” to the liberation of Palestine.
Sharaf referred to the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea as “our sea” and said, “Those who came to that area don’t know what is going on there… we defend our territories… we want the siege on Gaza to be over; we also want all kinds of necessities to go into the occupied land.”
The foreign minister said it was Yemen’s duty to contribute to the liberation of Palestine through all means available, including demonstrations and military action.
“We put Palestine as the central issue Yemen is fighting for,” he said. “If we don’t stand by them at this critical moment, doing something the world would listen to, then no one would.”
Sharaf also appreciated Iran for its support of Yemen, including in health sector, saying, “If not for the Iranians’ support for Yemen, no one would now hear the stories coming from Yemen.”
