Iran minister meets Sharif Raheel over Yemen crisis

Islamabad — The visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Thursday reiterated proposals for a ceasefire humanitarian assistance dialogue among Yemenis and formation of an “all-inclusive government.

Zarif’s visit is part of heightened regional diplomacy to resolve the crisis in Yemen. He reportedly briefed the Pakistani premier about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Tehran and his own talks in Muscat Oman. Prime Minister Sharif visited Turkey early this week. A Saudi minister was also expected to reach Islamabad later on Thursday.

“The prime minister stressed the need to ponder the ways and means to bring an end to the conflict at the earliest by peaceful means” a statement from Sharif’s office said after the meeting with Zarif.

While Pakistan and Turkey have taken the lead in peace efforts they also plan to associate some other Muslim countries particularly Indonesia and Malaysia to intensify them.

Notwithstanding Javad’s claim that a consensus is emerging around Iran’s four-point proposals difference of opinion between Pakistan and Iran has surfaced on former’s proposal for immediate ceasefire amid Saudi allegations that Iran has armed and trained Houthi militants a charge vehemently denied by Javad.

Pakistan appears endorsing Saudi view that a ceasefire would amount to accepting the fait accompli prompted by Houthis offensive and advances in Aden.

Adviser to PM Sharif on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz while responding to a question at a joint news conference with Javad after bilateral talks on Wednesday evening said a ceasefire at this stage “would consolidate the existing ground position” which currently has Houthis in control of large parts of Yemen including the capital Sanaa.

Instead he called for “a more comprehensive resolution on facilitating an intra-Yemeni dialogue to create the possibility of some kind of negotiated solution”.

Meanwhile Zarif also visited the GHQ in Rawalpindi and met Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. He appreciated Pakistan military’s operation Zarb-i-Azb against Taleban terrorists in tribal region bordering Afghanistan. He also welcomed the improvement in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

On Wednesday Zarif rejected Saudi Arabia’s claims that his country was backing the Houthi rebels for establishing a pro-Iran state saying “fighting will not resolve this problem”. He added: “We are not bombarding anyone... our planes are not there hitting hospitals and bridges and flour factories.”

Saudi Arabia has vowed to bomb the rebels into surrender to prevent them establishing a pro-Iran state on its doorstep.

The Saudi demand of Pak troops aircraft and naval vessels has created a delicate situation for Nawaz Sharif given close brotherly ties between the two countries. Sharif has referred the issue to a joint session of the parliament where the debate entered fourth day on Thursday with overwhelming majority of lawmakers supporting conciliatory efforts but strongly opposing the direct involvement in the Yemen campaign.

Aziz summed up the discussion saying that after three days of discussions at the joint session of parliament there was a “broad consensus” among lawmakers that Pakistani involvement in the war in Yemen “would not be advisable”.

Zarif stressed that: “It’s up to Yemenis to decide how to do this we can only facilitate as neighbours... as countries with some influence one way or another” he said.

Turkey has also asked Iran to use its influence in Yemen to play a role in reducing the conflict.

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