The Yemeni government has renewed its call to the international community to classify the Houthi group, which is loyal to Iran, as a terrorist organization. This came after the group continued to pose a threat to Yemenis, international interests, and neighboring countries.

The Yemeni government also called for greater international pressure on Iran to stop smuggling arms shipments to the group. This followed a US Navy warship seizing a shipment of Iranian weapons that officials said were being sent to Houthis in Yemen.

Yemeni Minister of Information Muammar Al-Aryani welcomed the seizure and stressed that Houthi militias continue to pose danger on Yemenis and abort peace efforts.

According to Aryani, the seized shipment included 150 “Dehlavieh” anti-tank guided missiles, a type of missile designed by Iran based off of a Russian variant. Also recovered were three surface-to-air missiles, components for unmanned surface and aerial vessels, thermal imaging weapons scopes, and other advanced weapon components.

The shipment would be a direct violation of a United Nations Security Council Resolution forbidding the supply, sale, or transfer of weapons to the Houthis.

Aryani said the pernicious Iranian role in Yemen and its continued smuggling of weapons played a major role in the recent escalation, the failure to implement the Sweden agreement, the continuing of Yemeni bloodshed, the aggravation of suffering, and the obstruction of all efforts to resolve the Yemeni crisis peacefully.

The Yemeni minister called on the international community and the United Nations Security Council to impose deterrent sanctions on the Tehran regime.

He called for putting enough pressure on the Iranian regime to stop its arms smuggling to Houthi militias, saying it constitutes blatant interference in the Yemeni affairs and violates the principles of sovereignty, international law, and UNSC resolutions related to the Yemeni crisis.