Houthis are subservient to Iran agenda, Malki says‏

Arab Coalition Spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki described Houthi militias in Yemen as subservient and stressed that qualitative threats will not be met with leniency. He also reaffirmed that the Coalition, which backs Yemen’s freely-elected government under President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, will continue to fight for establishing Yemen’s sovereignty and ending the Iran-backed coup spearheaded by Houthis.

Al-Maliki also, according to Asharq Al-Awsat, reiterated support for efforts spent by the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths for achieving a comprehensive political solution in the war-torn country.

“There is no doubt that Houthi terrorist militias are stripped from an independent will and ability to make their own decisions,” al-Maliki said in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, hinting that the group’s subservience to Iran obstructs regional and international efforts to achieve a sustainable political settlement in Yemen.

“The Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s agenda control decision-making circles within Houthi militias, their loyalty and execution answers to Iranian instructions,” the spokesman added, highlighting that Houthis are ideologically linked to Tehran.

Houthis have recently rolled back their approval for granting accesses to a team of UN experts on board the decaying Safer oil tanker which is anchored off the port of Hodeidah and threatens a major environmental and economic catastrophe.

The militias also used their control over access to the derelict tanker as a pressure card against international efforts to fix the situation at Safer. Houthis demanded rights to the oil on board the vessel in exchange for allowing UN experts to perform maintenance work.

“The Houthi militia’s failure to commit with the UN to maintain the floating oil reservoir (FSO Safer) and their presenting of flimsy explanations is part of the Iranian evasive strategy adopted by the militia to procrastinate,” al-Maliki commented on the issue.

“Houthis must bear legal responsibility before the international community in the event of an environmental and economic disaster in the southern Red Sea,” he noted.