NEW YORK CITY: The US sharply criticized Iran on Thursday over its backing of the Houthis in Yemen, accusing Tehran of violating UN arms embargoes and enabling attacks against Arab nations and Israel.
Speaking during a UN Security Council briefing on the situation in Yemen, the acting US ambassador, Dorothy Shea, said Iranian support is allowing the Houthis to threaten Israel, Gulf countries, and broader regional stability.
“This council must not tolerate Iran’s repeated violations of its resolutions,” she told fellow members.
Shea condemned the Houthis for ongoing cross-border attacks, including missile strikes on Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, and threats of air and naval blockades targeting Port of Haifa, as well as human rights abuses within Yemen itself.
“Israel has the right to defend itself,” she said. “We stand with Israel against Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including the Houthis.”
The US envoy also highlighted what she described as evidence that the Houthis were acquiring dual-use technology from Chinese sources, specifically the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company, which is linked to China’s military and Communist Party leadership.
In addition, she called for closer scrutiny of the Houthis’ expanding ties to Somalian insurgent group Al-Shabaab, including an investigation by expert UN panels.
Shea highlighted the important role of the UN’s Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen as a critical tool for preventing illicit arms shipments to the Houthis, and praised recent interceptions of containers headed for rebel-controlled ports. She urged member states to increase funding for the mechanism and provide naval assets so that it can fully enforce its mandate.
Shea also reiterated that even vessels cleared by the mechanism might still face consequences under US law, given that Washington has designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and warned that any form of aid to the group could violate US antiterrorism statutes.
The ambassador condemned the Houthis for the prolonged detention of employees of the UN and nongovernmental organizations, and diplomatic personnel, including Americans, for more than a year on “fabricated espionage charges,” and called for their immediate and unconditional release.
“The Houthis bear overwhelming responsibility for the deterioration in the well-being and safety of the Yemeni people,” Shea added, as she accused the group of terrorizing civilians, obstructing humanitarian aid, and profiting from illicit commercial activities.
The briefing came as UN efforts to address Yemen’s protracted conflict and humanitarian crisis continue, with the organization’s special envoy to the country, Hans Grundberg, and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya on Thursday calling on council members to put pressure on the Houthis for a peace agreement and the release of all detainees.
