Iran stresses need for dialogue, ceasefire in Yemen

Raeisi made the remarks in a phone call with Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres on Monday.

“Iran has always stressed the need for lifting of the blockade and establishment of ceasefire in Yemen as well as efforts to resolve the crisis through intra-Yemeni talks and understanding without foreign interference,” Iran’s chief executive said.

He expressed hope that as a result of the UN chief's efforts, Saudi Arabia would fulfill its commitments and stop attacks on Yemen, and would be "persuaded to solve the problems of this country with the participation of the Yemenis themselves, so that the Yemeni people would determine their own fate."

The Iranian president emphasized that the Islamic Republic is ready to use its diverse and effective capacities to solve regional and international issues.

For his part, the UN chief assured the Iranian president that he would make his utmost efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to end its attacks on Yemen.

Guterres also pledged to try to resolve the Yemeni crisis through facilitating dialogue among different Yemeni groups.

Saudi Arabia launched the devastating war on Yemen in March 2015 in collaboration with its Arab allies and with arms and logistics support from the US and other Western states.

The objective was to reinstall the Riyadh-friendly regime of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and crush the popular Ansarullah resistance movement, which has been running state affairs in the absence of a functional government in Yemen.

While the Saudi-led coalition has failed to meet any of its objectives, the war has killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis and spawned the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.