Araghchi: There is no military solution to the Yemen issue, and Bab al-Mandab is outside our regional framework.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stressed that Bab al-Mandab is an issue that may transcend Iran’s regional framework, considering that the problems associated with it are rooted in old disputes between Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the countries of the region, stressing that the solution to the Yemeni crisis is through dialogue and diplomacy.

He said: “The Bab al-Mandab Strait is, to some extent, an issue that transcends the regional framework for us, and the problems associated with it are rooted in old disputes and issues between Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the countries of the region. We believe that this issue should be resolved within its regional framework and through dialogue.”

The Iranian Foreign Minister added: “We believe that there is no military solution to the Yemen issue, Bab al-Mandab, or other issues in the region. Solutions must come through dialogue, whether between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, or between the Yemeni parties themselves, or between Yemen and other countries in the region,” as reported by the Iranian Mehr News Agency on Saturday.

Regarding the connection of these developments to the tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, Araqchi said: “Yemen is living under a siege, and the measures taken by the Yemenis come, according to them, within the framework of trying to break this siege, which they consider to be imposed by Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the roots of the Yemeni crisis cannot be traced back to Iran.”

He added: “The Yemeni issue is a very old crisis, perhaps with roots going back centuries, and it has not been resolved through successive wars. In recent years, Yemen has witnessed a large-scale war that has not led to a solution to the crisis, but has only increased its complexity.”

Araghchi stressed that Tehran has consistently called for a solution to the Yemeni crisis through dialogue, adding: “We believe that Iran and other countries in the region can contribute to this process. We have declared our readiness to play a constructive role, and our friends in Saudi Arabia are aware of this. If dialogues begin between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Iran is capable of playing a positive and constructive role in them.”

He said: “We hope that the current developments will not further complicate the situation in Yemen. We have a Persian proverb that says: A knot that can be untied by hand should not be untied by teeth. We believe that the Yemen crisis can be addressed through diplomacy and dialogue, without the need for tension or military confrontations.”

The Iranian Foreign Minister stressed that targeting American bases and facilities came within the framework of the “legitimate right to self-defense”.

In response to a question about Iran’s relations with the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and the bilateral and independent consultations that these countries are conducting with Tehran, Araqchi told the newspaper “Iran” that “there is no doubt that there are tensions currently in the relations, and this is normal and completely understandable in light of the developments and conflicts that the region has witnessed.”

He added: “During the 40-day war, we targeted American bases in the region and even beyond, as well as American military installations and assembly points for American forces that were transferred from their bases to other areas. This action was entirely within our legitimate right to self-defense.”

He continued: “We were defending ourselves, and in the face of aggression we had no choice but to defend ourselves, and the situation remains the same to this day.”

Araghchi emphasized: “We are in constant contact with the countries of the region, and we continually clarify to them that we harbor no animosity towards these countries.”

He said: “We are, of course, upset that the capabilities of some of these countries were put at the service of the United States during the 40-day war, and even afterward, or that Washington exploited them against Iran.”

He continued: “However, I believe there is a shared understanding at the regional level that the actions taken by Iran do not stem from hostility towards the countries of the region, but are based on other considerations that all parties are aware of and understand well.”

He noted that “governments are not satisfied with this situation, and some of them are even angry, but I believe that after these tensions subside, we should, God willing, enter a new phase of building trust with these countries. I sense a will on their part to restore this trust.”

Araghchi stressed that “the countries of the region will remain neighbors to each other, and they must coexist in an atmosphere of calm and stability, as it is not logical for relations between the countries of the region to remain hostage to tension and dispute forever. Everyone looks forward to stability and economic development, and