Yemen ‘doesn’t belong to Iran’

The Kingdom is not at war with Iran, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said on Sunday, insisting that Saudi Arabia's decision to fight Houthi rebels was solely in response to the call of Yemen's legitimate ruler to restore legitimacy. He hoped Tehran ends its support to the Houthis.
The prince was addressing a joint press conference with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius.
The foreign minister also said that Iran has no right to tell the Kingdom to stop the war since Yemen does not belong to Iran.
“We are there to help the lawful ruler to restore legitimacy in the country,” he noted, pointing out that the international coalition campaign to defend legitimacy in Yemen is going well according to set goals targeting the Houthi militia and the forces of the former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
“We are also mindful of the humanitarian aspects of this operation, and steps have been taken to evacuate the expatriate population in Yemen,” he said, indicating that humanitarian efforts are being carried out in cooperation with UN and International Red Cross.
The prince also conveyed the condolences of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to families whose members have been martyred for the sake of the country.
Pointing to the visit of Fabius to the capital, he said it is being held within the framework of the friendship between France and the Kingdom.
Prince Saud emphasized that coordination and consultation are continuing between the two countries on regional and international issues of common interest.
Meanwhile, Fabius met with King Salman and delivered a message from French President Francois Hollande.
Fabius also held talks with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, Defense Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf. Later, Fabius held talks with senior government officials on a wide range of issues touching on Iraq, Iran, Syria and Palestine.
He also held talks with some Saudi businessmen, focusing on Saudi-French trade. There are currently 186 joint ventures worth SR33 billion in the Kingdom.
Fabius said he has submitted a proposal to the Saudi government on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. “We have the necessary expertise in the relevant field,” he said.
Fabius lamented the stalemate in the Palestinian issue. “It is not good for anybody,” he stressed.
Speaking about Syria, he said Bashar Assad could not decide the future of Syria.
He pointed out that France is interested in peace and stability in the Middle East, particularly in Yemen. He advocated peaceful and political solutions for the most burning issues in the region.