Yemen’s Houthi militia says appointing ‘ambassador’ in Tehran

Yemen’s Iran-linked Houthi militia has appointed an “ambassador” in Tehran, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said on Sunday, a step condemned by the internationally recognized government as a breach of international laws.

The Islamic republic made no announcement about accepting the appointment of an ambassador for the Houthis, who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Al-Masirah TV said late Saturday that a “presidential decree was issued appointing Ibrahim Mohammed Mohammed al-Dailami as an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary for the republic of Yemen to the Islamic republic of Iran.”

Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi severed diplomatic relations with Iran in October 2015, accusing Tehran of providing military aid to the militia.

Tehran has denied the accusation but publicly offers strong political backing to the militia.

The Yemeni government denounced the naming of a Houthi ambassador.

“The exchange of diplomatic relations between Tehran regime and the Houthi militias breaches the international laws and norms and contravenes United Nations Security Council resolutions related to the Yemen crisis,” the government said in a statement on Twitter.

Yemen’s Minister of Information Moammar al-Eryani said the step was “no surprise”, and has exposed the hidden relationship between the Houthis and Iran.

The announcement comes after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei held talks in Tehran on Tuesday with a Houthi delegation headed by the militia’s spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam.

Khamenei renewed his support for the Houthis and accused Iran’s foes of a “plot” to partition the country.