TEHRAN - The U.S. special envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking says Iran has an opportunity to help resolve the conflict in Yemen while calling for the Islamic Republic to “put its best foot forward” amid the Biden administration’s renewed push for diplomacy, according to The Hill.

Concerning Biden’s approach towards Yemen, The Hill wrote, “President Biden has elevated U.S. engagement to resolve what the United Nations has described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and a ‘living hell’ for children, with more than 24 million people requiring humanitarian assistance.”  

The U.S. president declared America intends to end its support for the Saudi-led offensive operations in the country, and criticized the war as contributing to civilian casualties and worsening the humanitarian crisis.  

He also lamented the former administration’s last-minute terrorist designation for the Houthis, which the UN warned would contribute to a mass famine in the country. 

According to The Hill, Lenderking, who was appointed by Biden as special envoy, put U.S. support behind the UN-led peace process for resolving the conflict in Yemen. 

U.S. envoy said that in conversations in the region and inside Yemen “there is a profound desire” to end the conflict and called on key stakeholders such as Iran to work toward that end.  
 
“This is an opportunity for Iran to rally behind this effort and support a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen,” he remarked.   

Lenderking said he would "leave it for others to discuss" whether the U.S. would speak with Iran about resolving the conflict in Yemen but added that he did speak with U.N. envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths about his most recent visit in Tehran.