Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi Emphasizes Fight Against 'Iranian Influence' in Yemen

Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen, who has moved from Sana'a to Aden following the Houthi uprising in the country, has accused the Shiite rebels of importing ideology from Tehran and emphasized that he will fight against what he calls 'Iranian influence.' The Iranian government has denied such accusations in various instances, including following allegations of interference in Yemen's situation by the United States. Hadi's remarks, which the United Nations still recognizes him as the legitimate president of Yemen, were made on April 1, one day after suicide bombings targeted Shiite mosques in Sana'a, the capital. The attacks in Sana'a, for which a branch of the 'Islamic State' claimed responsibility, left 142 dead and over 350 injured, drawing severe condemnation from the United States and the United Nations. Yemen, a country facing a Shiite uprising and various conflicts, and considered the main base of 'Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula,' has been experiencing instability in recent months, and the severe attacks last Friday have heightened concerns. Hadi's televised remarks were his first speech since leaving house arrest in Sana'a for the southern city of Aden. Aden itself has been the scene of clashes in recent days, and an aerial attack has also targeted the presidential palace there. According to Agence France-Presse, Hadi stated that 'the Iranian Twelver Shiites, who have been welcomed by the Houthis and their supporters, are not agreed upon by Yemenis, whether Zaidis (the majority Shiites in Yemen) or Shafi'is (the majority Sunnis in Yemen).' These statements regarding the Houthi rebels, who are themselves Zaidi, seemingly propagate the belief that they have become 'Twelver.' Hadi also referred to the suicide bombings in a letter to the families of the victims and those affected, calling them 'terrorist, criminal, and cowardly' operations. He stated that such attacks are only carried out by 'enemies of life' who want to plunge Yemen into 'chaos.' Hadi also described what he called 'Shiite extremists represented by the Houthis and Sunni extremists represented by Al-Qaeda' as 'two sides of the same coin.' The internationally recognized president of Yemen also introduced Aden as the 'temporary capital' of the country. Hadi had previously raised accusations regarding Iranian interference in Yemen's situation.