Larijani: Iran ready to mediate in Yemen crisis

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani expressed Tehran’s readiness to mediate in Yemen should Saudi Arabia agree to the political solution of the conflict.

According to Tasnim news agency, Larijani said in a meeting with the vice president of the German federal parliament (Bundestag) on the sidelines of the 141st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Serbia on Tuesday “If the Saudis accept the political solution, Iran will mediate in the issue of Yemen.”

The Iranian speaker also denounced US attempts to obstruct peace in Yemen, saying Washington tries to keep milking the Saudi kingdom.

Larijani also criticized the Turkish military operation in northern Syria, saying it would only bring about death and displacement and further complicate the situation in Syria.

He further called on Germany to play a more active role in settling the problems in Syria, saying the European Union has gotten used to just giving advices.

For her part, Claudia Benedikta Roth voiced Germany’s deep concerns about the Turkish military action against Syria, saying the European Union has asked Russia to pressure Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into ending the war, but the Turkish leader has threatened to allow waves of refugees to head for European shores if his country is criticized for the military operation.

Elsewhere in her remarks, the vice president of the German parliament deplored the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Yemen, and also welcomed Pakistan’s push for mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Larijani and Roth are among representatives from around 180 countries attending the IPU meeting in Belgrade.

ME