Iranian Defense MinistryWarns US, Saudi Hostile Moves against Iran’s Relief Efforts in Yemen

The Iranian Defense Ministry warned the US and Saudi Arabia of the dire consequences of any provocative move against Tehran’s humanitarian aid deliveries to Yemen.

The statement came after the Pentagon called on Iran not to unload humanitarian supplies in Yemen but rather dock a ship full of relief items in next door Djibouti, where the United Nations is setting up a supply hub.

“The US is an accomplice to the war criminals by supporting genocide in Yemen and the Iranian people’s food and drug aid is a humanitarian move to soothe the oppressed Yemeni people’s pains,” a statement by the Iranian defense ministry said on Wednesday.

It described the US demand for changing the direction of Iran’s cargo ship towards Djibouti as “illogical”, and said, “There is no guarantee that the aid will be delivered to the oppressed Yemeni people and if the international organizations, specially the UN, really want to help the oppressed Yemeni people, they should adopt the necessary measures to prevent the Saudi regime’s savage attacks and fully stop them,” the statement said.

It warned Washington and Riyadh against rocking the boat in the process of Iran’s aid deliveries to the Yemeni nation, and said, “The US and Saudi Arabia will be responsible for the consequences of any provocative moves.”

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri warned that Iran would launch war on any state that dares to attack the Iranian ship that is on its way to Yemen with a humanitarian aid cargo.

“Attacking the Iranian Red Crescent aid ship will spark war in the region,” General Jazzayeri told the Arabic-language TV Alalam, adding, “And this fire may not be put out or brought under control.”

“The US and Saudi Arabia should know that Iran’s self-restraint has a limited,” he cautioned.

An Iranian ship carrying humanitarian aid supplies, relief workers and peace activists from several countries left the Southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas for Yemen on Monday.

“We are a group of relief workers, physicians and peace activists from the US, Europe and Germany. We are a part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Red Crescent Society. We are trying to bring medical stuff, flour and water for the Yemeni people,” a statement issued by 7 anti-war activists aboard the ship said on Monday.

“A large number of physicians and a few journalists from Iran are accompanying us on the ship and we intend to deliver 2,500 tons of medical supplies to the Hudaydah port on the Red Sea,” it added.

The activists reiterated that everything on the deck has been checked to make sure that there is no weapon on the ship.

The anti-war activists also condemned the Saudi fighter jets bombing of the Sana’a airport to prevent the delivery of Iran’s humanitarian aids to Yemen, and stressed, “Preventing the dispatch of humanitarian aid to another country is a flagrant violation of the international laws.”

“Let the hungry Yemeni children live! This illegal siege should end,” the statement underlined.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has been trying to dispatch humanitarian aid to Yemen through sea and air, but has failed due to Saudi Arabia’s full blockade of the war-ravaged country.

Saudi Arabia launched its bombing campaign against Yemen on March 26 in an attempt to restore power to fugitive President Mansour Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh.

Hadi stepped down in January and refused to reconsider the decision despite calls by Ansarullah revolutionaries of the Houthi movement.

Despite Riyadh’s claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi warplanes are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.

According to FNA tallies, the Monarchy’s attacks have so far claimed the lives of at least 3,755 civilians, mostly women and children.

FNA

R.S