TEHRAN, April 9. /TASS/. Foreign intervention is a wrong reaction to the situation in Yemen, Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday.
"A foreign intervention is a wrong reaction to internal violence and civil war, especially after catastrophes that happened in Afghanistan and Yemen," he said.
The Ayatollah stressed that Iran is against foreign military intervention in the Middle East, particularly in Yemen. "The only way out of the current humanitarian crisis in the country is immediately ceasing air strikes delivered by Saudi Arabia on the territory of Yemen," Ali Khamenei said. The crisis in Yemen facilitates expansion of terrorist groups’ activities in the region, particularly Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, the Ayatollah noted.
He also called on Sunnis and Shias "to unite in these difficult times." The Ayatollah added that Iran supports national dialogue in Yemen.
Since August 2014, Yemen has been hit by a severe political and security crisis. In late January, the armed groups of Ansar Allah (Houthi rebels) forced the president and the government to announce resignation.
The rebels later took control of the country’s capital and several northern provinces. They also announced the adoption of the so-called constitutional declaration.
Overnight to March 26, Saudi Arabia launched a military operation in the neighboring country and delivered air strikes at several Houthi positions. The coalition was later joined by Bahrein, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan and Sudan.
Yemeni President Abd Rabbah Mansur Hadi fled the country to Saudi Arabia.
Houthi rebels are currently fighting pro-government forces over control of Yemen’s second-largest city of Aden. The coalition is currently considering launching a ground operation in Yemen to oust Houthis.