Interviewed by Hajar al-Desouki

In a telephone interview with "Al-Eryani", he revealed the crimes and violations of the Houthi militia. He gave his analysis of the reasons behind lengthening the war for about 6 years. The Yemeni Minister of Information talked about several issues including the kind of the current relationships with the new US administration and the impacts of its decisions, in addition to Iran's plans to use the Houthi militia in its plans of expansionism, chaos and terrorism in the region. Houthi 

At the same time, March 25th marks the sixth anniversary of Operation Decisive Storm* led by Saudi Arabia to restore legitimacy in Yemen to save the country from the Iranian-backed militias.

Here is the full text of the interview: Houthi 

- First, how much hopeful are you about the new US administration to end the war?

“The current US administration is more experienced in Yemen since it was part of the crisis that the country has faced since 2011. It was part of organising the transitional phase according to the Gulf Co-operation Council initiative and its implementation mechanism,* the National Dialogue Conference in which all political blocs

participated, in conjunction with the Houthi militia's coup against the conference outcomes and its war on Yemenis to carry out the Iranian projects. The initiatives recently announced by the US administration to end the war and bring peace to Yemen were welcomed by the Yemeni government and people. The Yemeni government confirmed its support for any efforts made by brother and friendly countries to establish a just and comprehensive peace according to the three references (Gulf Initiative, National Dialogue Conference, UN security council) and the efforts made by the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen in this issue to put an end to the suffering of the Yemenis

But the new US administration delisted* the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization. What do you think of this? Houthi 

“That was disappointing and confirmed that the international community is still ignorant of the truth of the Houthi militia whose abuses are no different from the ones of the terrorist organizations; not forgetting its very close relationship with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The international community has to know that the best way to force it to submit to peace and end the war is by intensifying political and military pressures.* The  Biden administration took that decision because it reviews all the policies that the previous US administration pursued against the Iranian regime and its militias in the region and it attempts to push the Iranian regime to enter into negotiations on the nuclear programme.

"However, as usual, the Iranian regime and its militias in the region dealt indifferently with the US administration's orientations and escalated the conflict in the region,

increased the terrorist attacks in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, attacked Saudi Arabia and attacked the merchant ships in the International North–South Transport Corridor."

-Do you mean that when the Houthi movement was delisted as a terrorist organisation, that drove it to increase attacks against Ma'rib?

“Yes! the political, military and humanitarian conditions got worse since Washington has delisted the Houthi movement as a terrorist organization. The Houthi militia considered the decision a green light for more terrorism. Therefore, It escalated politically and militarily on all fronts* of the Marib governorate, and bombed civilians and civilian targets in Ma'rib and Saudi Arabia. It tries to take advantage of the regional and international variables to achieve military progress and impose a fait accompli* on the ground."

There is plenty of warnings against the plans of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) to fail the Riyadh agreement as the MB attempted with Turkish support to tighten the noose on the capital Aden. How do you deal with this? Houthi 

“The signatories of the Riyadh Agreement are aware of their heavy responsibility during these challenges that Yemen faces especially the Iranian expansionist plans. There is a common awareness of the dangers of turning the country into an open field for regional conflicts and the need to unite to restore the state, put down the coup, work to normalize the conditions in the liberated areas, improve living conditions and alleviate the Yemenis' suffering.

What are the Houthi militia's most notorious crimes that the child recruitment file has detected?

“The Houthi militia's crimes of recruiting children are the most dangerous and heinous among the crimes and violations it commits against the Yemenis. It is a flagrant and unprecedented violation against international humanitarian law and child protection agreements that prevent using children in wars. It is estimated that the Houthi militia has recruited nearly thirty thousand children since the beginning of the coup. It lured them away from their homes and schools to brainwash and indoctrinate them into adopting hatred and sectarianism come* from Iran and infuse** them with the ideology of terrorism, death and hatred, then throw them into bloody battles to implement the Iranian plans. We have over and over warned of the dangers of the abuses the Houthi militia carries out in its spheres of influence like using education to spread its ideology and recruiting children; the thing that will produce a generation of terrorists who will threaten security and stability in Yemen and the whole world. Houthi 

*V3

Among all these concerns and warnings, what are the main challenges facing the legitimate Yemeni government? Houthi 

"The challenges that the government faces are great and serious. Targeting it at Aden airport by the Houthi militia in that brutal and barbaric way shows the major difficulties it faces and the many determined attempts the Houthi militia makes to thwart the legitimate government and thwart implementing the Riyadh Agreement." We are aware that the challenges and obstacles facing us are great in many fields; foremost among which is achieving economic stability, implementing the part of the Riyadh Agreement related to security and military, normalizing conditions in liberated areas, paying the salaries, providing basic services to citizens, improving their living conditions.

We have no way but to work hard to rebuild the country, provide a decent standard of living and bright future the Yemenis deserve.

What do you think of the Arab coalition efforts to support the legitimacy in Yemen in the past years?

“The Arab coalition, led by our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has given unlimited support to the Yemeni government and people -since the crisis has arisen because of the coup- in different political, economic, military and humanitarian fields. We in Yemen, the leadership, government and people, appreciate the Saudi brothers' sincere brotherly stances to Yemen in its crisis. We count on this support until Yemen recovers and returns as an active and constructive country in the region. Houthi 

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