Yemen Government Representative Warns of 'Unauthorized' Entry of Iranian Ship

A representative of the Yemeni government warned that if Iran does not allow inspection of its ship heading to Yemen under military escort, "Iran will bear full responsibility for any incident that occurs with the arrival of these ships in Yemeni waters." According to Reuters, the Yemeni government delegation to the United Nations wrote in a letter to the Security Council on Wednesday, May 12: "The Yemeni government and coalition forces have no objection to the entry of humanitarian aid shipments to Yemen as long as the necessary permits are obtained from the legitimate Yemeni government and these shipments are inspected prior to entry." This warning from the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the Yemeni president who fled Yemen due to attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi Shiites, comes as Iran warned the "involved countries" in the Yemen war that it would not allow inspection of its ship carrying "humanitarian aid." Saudi Arabia and the regional coalition suspect that the Islamic Republic of Iran may deliver weapons to the Houthi Shiite forces under the guise of sending humanitarian aid. The ship "Iran Shahed," which Iran claims is carrying "humanitarian aid," left Bandar Abbas for Yemen on Monday, while the Iranian Red Crescent announced that it had previously informed the Saudi Red Crescent about the dispatch of this ship; the "Iran Shahed" is accompanied on this maritime journey by Iranian warships. Meanwhile, the state news agency IRNA reported the flight of "several fighter jets" and an "unknown helicopter" over this ship on Tuesday. Following this news, Iran complained to the United Nations on Tuesday evening about what it called the regional coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia preventing "Iran's humanitarian aid from reaching Yemen." On Tuesday, Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, warned that an attack on the Iranian "aid" ship heading to Yemen would lead the region into war. Saudi Arabia and several of its allied countries have launched heavy airstrikes in Yemen since April 6 of this year to push back the Houthi Shiites and restore Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to power. These attacks have led to widespread protests from Iranian officials, and in one of the latest reactions to these attacks, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, said on Wednesday that "the Saudis have made a big mistake in Yemen, and the consequences of the crimes they have committed will certainly affect them." In this context, Iran has complained to the United Nations Security Council against Saudi Arabia. Afkham: We will not allow inspection of the Iranian ship heading to Yemen. Saudi Arabia says the U.S. meeting focuses on Iran's "aggressive policy." Jazayeri: An attack on the Iranian aid ship will lead the region into war. Pentagon: Iran is sending the humanitarian aid ship to Djibouti.