Iran, Russia renew call for negotiated solution to Crises in Syria, Yemen

Senior Foreign Ministry Officials from Iran and Russia underlined the two countries’ support for finding political solutions to ongoing crises in Yemen and Syria.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian discussed in a phone call earlier on Monday the situation in war-torn Syria and Yemen.

“The sides underlined that there was no alternative to finding a political solution to the Syrian and Yemeni crises in line with international law and the UN Charter,” the ministry said in a statement.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011 as Syrian forces loyal to President Assad have been fighting several extremist terrorist groups, including the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Yemen has also been engulfed in a military conflict between Shiite Houthis, the country’s main opposition, and forces loyal to ex-President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is in exile in Saudi Arabia.

In late March, a Saudi-led international coalition began airstrikes against Houthis in Yemen at the request of Hadi. It also imposed a land, sea and air blockade on the country.