TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has urged the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) to focus on stopping the Saudi-led coalition’s attacks on Yemenis instead of leveling accusations against Iran.

“We advise the secretary-general of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council [Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf] to focus on the necessity of stopping the coalition’s attacks on the Yemenis and settling the crisis through Yemeni-Yemeni talks instead of leveling accusations, making unfounded claims against the Islamic Republic of Iran and following the destructive role of certain members of this council,” Mousavi suggested on Tuesday.

His comments came as response to claims by the PGCC secretary-general that Iran is supplying the Houthis with arms and ammunition and its threat to regional peace.

Mousavi also said, “Certain members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council have kept silence toward main issues and threats to the world of Islam and the oppressed Palestinian people by the Zionist regime and the United States, and have taken action in bombarding the Yemeni people and besieging this country and also prevent sending food and medicine to the country to counter the coronavirus.”

He noted that the Saudis make efforts to divert public opinion through leveling accusations against others.

Saudi Arabia launched a military campaign against Yemen in March 2015 with the aim of eliminating the Yemeni opposition groups who had toppled the government of President Mansour Hadi.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had vowed to restore the toppled president in a matter of weeks.

In a report on its website on March 24, Amnesty International said, “Gross human rights violations, including what could amount to war crimes, are being committed throughout the country. By the end of 2019, it is estimated that over 233,000 Yemenis would have been killed as a result of fighting and the humanitarian crisis.”

Meanwhile, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented more than 20,000 civilians killed and injured by the fighting since March 2015, the amnesty said. 

A man-made humanitarian crisis has spiraled with approximately 16 million people waking up hungry every day, the amnesty regretted.

NA/PA