The White House dismissed Iran’s demand for an immediate halt to Saudi-led military operations in Yemen, noting that the argument is “ironic” considering Tehran’s supply of arms to the Houthi forces that have overtaken the country.
“It’s a little ironic for the Iranian foreign minister continuing to call for a diplomatic solution for that crisis when it is continuing to try to provide arms to one side,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily briefing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday urged U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to end the Saudi-led air campaign against the Houthis in Yemen and establish a cease-fire.
Zarif, in a letter, took exception to the Saudi-led airstrikes, which the U.S. supports, arguing that they are destroying hospitals, schools, roads, food factories and power plants, and have hit residential civilian areas including refugee camps.
He also said terrorist groups have been the main beneficiaries of the airstrikes, which are helping them expand their strategic foothold there.
U.S. officials blame Iran for supporting the Houthi rebels that pushed Yemen to the brink of collapse and forced President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, a Western ally, to flee to Saudi Arabia.
Zarif said there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen and said international efforts, specifically by the U.N., should be focused on implementing a cease-fire and providing humanitarian aide.
He said a “Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned national dialogue” should resume with the goal of establishing an inclusive national unity government.
Earnest also blasted Iran’s charging of the Washington Post’s Tehran bureau chief, Jason Rezaian, with espionage and other serious crimes as “absurd.” But he said he would not link the White House’s fight to free him with its negotiations to roll back Iran’s nuclear program.
“If true, the charges are absurd and should be immediately dismissed,” Earnest said.
At the same time, he said the talks with Tehran on its nuclear program will not resolve “the wide-ranging concern” about Iran’s support for terrorism, its language threatening Israel or U.S. concerns over “unjustly detained” Americans in Iran.
“The effort to build the international community’s strong support for a diplomatic resolution or agreement — is extraordinarily complicated,” he said. “We’re trying to focus on these issue one at a time.”
