Iran FM, UN Chief Discuss Yemen, Afghanistan Crises

During the telephone conversation, which was the second of its kind in 24 hours, the UN chief gave a report on the international body’s efforts to maintain the ceasefire in Yemen.

For his part, Zarif expressed support for the Secretary General’s efforts to establish a ceasefire in Yemen, stating that the Yemeni crisis has no military solution. He also called the establishment of a lasting ceasefire a prelude for the launch of political process to resolve the crisis in the Arab country.

The Iranian Foreign Minister further presented a report on Tehran’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the political crisis in Afghanistan and advance the peace process in the neighbouring country. He also provided details of his phone conversations with Mohammed Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah and Hanif Atmar.

The Saudi-led coalition has recently announced a two-week ceasefire in Yemen, but Yemenis say this is another ploy aimed at covering up Saudi regime’s crimes against the impoverished country.

Riyadh and a number of its allies waged a war on Yemen in March 2015 to bring the country’s former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power.

Estimates show that the war has claimed over 100,000 lives over the past five years.