CEMO says to uncover Iran's destructive role in region

Director of the Center for Middle East Studies in Paris (CEMO) and member of the Egyptian parliament, Abdel Rahim Ali, called today on the Arab League and the international community to act quickly to mitigate the crisis in Yemen.

He said this crisis is worrying, especially in the light of the latest developments in the southern part of the country, and more specifically in the temporary capital of Aden.

"These developments negatively affect the stability of Yemen and its territorial unity," Ali said.

He appealed in a statement to all parties and the Yemeni people to sit together on one table for national dialogue, aiming at rescuing Yemen and preventing its disintegration.

This disintegration, he said, would not serve the interests of the people of Yemen, but lead to more polarization in their country.

Ali said Yemen's disintegration is the ultimate goal of the states that sends arms, offers financing and offers refuge to terrorists.

He lashed out at Iranian interference in internal Yemeni affairs, especially with the Houthi militia maintaining the firing of rockets on Saudi Arabia.

These belligerent actions, he said, sabotage all chances for bringing about a peaceful settlement to the Yemeni crisis.

"They are also a dangerous violation of international peace and security," Ali said of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

He said these attacks are also an intentional provocation of Saudi Arabia, one aiming at pouring more fuel on Yemen's simmering coals.

"The Houthi militia insists on maintaining its violations against the rights of the Yemeni people, especially in the areas it controls," Ali said.

He referred to death sentences issued by the militia against 30 people who were arrested by Houthi terrorists last month.

Those sentenced to death, Ali said, included university professors and activists whose status was included in the ceasefire agreement in Stockholm, Sweden.

"This conduct is a blatant violation of the international humanitarian law," the Egyptian parliamentarian said in his statement. "It divulges the ugly face of the Houthi militia."

Ali said Iran has been trying to control Yemen for two decades now, having offered backing to terrorist militias, such as the Houthi militia.

He described the Houthi militia as one of the "most important" Iranian arms outside Iran. Ali said Iran continues to provide the Houthis with arms and missiles, apart from offering political support.

Iran, he said, turns the countries where it acquires presence into springboards for threats against Arab security.  

He added that Iranian actions leave nothing behind but destruction, such as in the cases of Iraq; Syria; Yemen, and Lebanon.

Ali described Iranian interference in Yemen as "sectarian-driven", aiming at expanding Iran's influence to impose the guardianship of the Islamic jurist on the countries of the region.

He added that Iran also wants to replace national armies with militias as a step on the road of bringing the region down and spreading killing and bloodshed.

The Houthi militia, he said, practices systematic killing in Yemen and works to spread sectarian ideologies that do nothing but divide the Yemeni society.

He added that the Houthis had planted thousands of mines everywhere in Yemen, which results in a human toll on almost a daily bases.

He referred to Iranian threats to maritime navigation in international passageways and its attacks against commercial ships.

He noted that Iran sends guided missiles to the Houthis for them to use in attacking Saudi Arabia.

Ali revealed that CEMO prepares a documented study on Iranian plans in the region and its attempts to control Arab countries.

He called on Arab states to move ahead with implementing a proposal presented by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in 2015 for the formation of a joint Arab military force against terrorism.