TEHRAN – On Saturday, Defense Minister Amir Hatami reiterated Tehran’s long held policy that Iran’s support for the Yemenis is purely “spiritual”.

“We proudly defend all the oppressed nations, but our support is spiritual and advisory help against terrorists,” Hatami said at a conference in the Defense Ministry.

Yemen has been under aerial and ground offensive by the Saudi-led coalition since the March 2015. 

Analysts say the U.S. and some other countries including Saudi Arabia are unable to understand that the Yemenis are culturally resistant. 

“Today, the U.S. levels accusations against Iran, claiming that Iran have not let their actions yield results in Yemen. They do not understand the Basiji spirit and ideology (of Yemenis). What results in victory is ideology of resistance which helps them not to surrender to oppression,” Hatami remarked.

He also noted that Saudi Arabia attacked Yemen with the U.S. “green light”.

U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook unveiled on Thursday pieces of missiles, rockets, drones and other weaponry at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington D.C., claiming that Iran is involved in supplying the Houthis with weaponry.

Hisham Sharaf, the Yemeni minister of foreign affairs, said on Wednesday that Yemenis got their missiles from the Soviet Union many years ago and they are not getting any support from Iran.

“I can tell you that we are not getting any support from Iran,” he said in an interview with CNN aired on Wednesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated on Friday that Iran’s four-point plan is still the only viable option to resolve the Yemeni crisis.

“I said this on the crisis in Yemen in April 2015. Today, after untold human suffering & war crimes by the Saudi coalition & its U.S. accomplices, & efforts to whitewash their crimes with absurd allegations against Iran, our four-point plan still remains the only viable option,” Zarif tweeted on Friday.

The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire and end of all foreign military attacks, humanitarian assistance, a resumption of broad national dialogue and establishment of an inclusive national unity government.

NA/PA