Iran calls for intra-Yemeni dialogue 'away from foreign interference'

SANAA, Yemen (AA) - The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Thursday called for launching an intra-Yemeni dialogue "away from foreign interference" to settle the crisis in the country.

"The destructive war and the cruel blockade of the (Saudi-led Arab) coalition against the people of Yemen is entering its eighth year as it has led to this resilient country facing the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the century," a ministry statement said on the seventh anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition.

It added that Iran "supports any sort of fair and practical effort and initiative for the removal of the blockade, establishment of truce and beginning of Yemeni-Yemeni negotiations."

On March 17, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) invited Yemeni parties for talks in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on March 29 to discuss comprehensive peace in war-torn Yemen.

While the Yemeni government welcomed the invitation, the Houthi group conditioned any dialogue to be in a neutral country.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition has been fighting Houthis since 2015, one year after rebels overran much of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

The conflict has created one of the world's worst man-made humanitarian crises, with nearly 80% of the country, or about 30 million people, in need of humanitarian assistance and protection and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar