NCRI – The United Nations Security Council has condemned the Iran-backed Houthi rebels for their missile attacks on Saudi Arabia last weekend and expressed “grave concern” that the Houthis were able to obtain these weapons in spite of a UN arms embargo against arming them.
The 15-member council issued a statement on March 28, condemning the missile attacks “in the strongest possible terms” and highlighting the threat posed by them to regional security.
The Council, which includes the majority of signatories to the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal, also “expressed alarm” at the Houthis’ threats to continue attacking Saudi Arabia, which accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with ballistic missiles. This is backed up by UN reports that previous ballistic missiles fired at Saudi Arabia by the Houthis have been Iranian-made.
Iran has denied this, but the fact remains that the Houthis do not have the technology themselves and have few allies who would break a UN arms embargo in order to attack Saudi Arabia. The likelihood is that the Iranian Regime is not only making the missiles, but also supplying them and directing the Houthis about where to strike.
Calling out Iran
The UN did not name Iran in its condemnation, probably because Russia – a permanent member of the Security Council and key Iran ally – vetoed a resolution last month to call out Iran for violating the arms embargo.
The United States – a key critic of Iran that is likely to pull out of the nuclear deal under Donald Trump – has been pushing for the rest of the world to hold Iran responsible for supplying missiles and drones to the Houthis.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley even invited her counterparts to investigate the evidence in Washington DC back in January.
Last week’s missile attacks were the most extensive so far in the Yemeni Civil War, and actually ended up causing the death of an Egyptian labourer and wounding two others.
The Saudi-led Arab Coalition, which has been fighting to reinstate the internationally recognised government in Yemen, held a press conference on March 26 to say that the weapons fired at the Kingdom were made in Iran.
A spokesperson said that Saudi Arabia reserve the right to respond against Iran at an “appropriate” time.
This threat of potential retaliation could easily escalate the proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia that has played out in many conflicts across the Middle East in the past few years, including in Yemen and Syria.
