Kerry Slams Iran for Urging Yemen Ceasefire

Insists Commercial Flights Between Countries Proves 'Support' for Houthis

Secretary of State John Kerry today angrily condemned the Iranian government for pushing for the ceasefire in the Saudi-led war against Yemen, saying the US is determined to stand with its allies in the region, and accused Iran of “destabilizing” the region with its efforts.

Kerry went on to insist that the Iranian government is “obviously” supplying the Houthis in Yemen, citing commercial flights between Iran and Yemen as proof.

Kerry’s claims were made in spite of WikiLeaks documents from the State Department affirming for years that the US is well aware that the Houthi faction in Yemen is a local faction, and has never been shown to have any significant ties to Iran.

Iran and Russia have been the primary nations urging a ceasefire in the Saudi war, though as we’ve seen with Israeli wars in the region, the US will generally undermine UN ceasefire efforts so long as its ally prefers to keep an aggressive war going.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly ruled out a ceasefire or any negotiations, insisting the war will continue until they manage to reinstall former President Hadi as the ruler of Yemen.

The Houthis, for their part, have expressed support for a negotiated settlement, but only on the condition that airstrikes against the country end. That, it seems, is still a long way off.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.