The Group of Seven (G7) has called on Iran to stop arming and supporting the Houthis in Yemen, accusing the group of threatening regional stability, maritime security and international trade ahead of the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level week in New York.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the G7 foreign ministers and the European Union’s high representative said they were “deeply concerned” by continued Houthi attacks in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia.
They called on the Houthis to immediately halt military actions and attacks on civilian shipping and return to the political process.
The G7 also called on Iran to end what it described as its arming and support for the Houthis, saying such actions were in violation of UN Security Council resolutions 1747, 2140 and 2216.
The statement comes as the UN continues to warn about escalating violence in and around Yemen and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a major maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari told the Security Council earlier this month that the situation around Bab al-Mandab had become increasingly volatile as the Houthis advanced along Yemen’s west coast and reportedly captured several islands in the southern Red Sea.
Khiari said commercial shipping flows through the Red Sea appeared unaffected at the time, but warned that the Houthi advance had increased market concerns amid continuing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. He also said at least 125,000 people had been displaced across Yemen since the beginning of September, with civilians facing the consequences of intensified fighting.
The UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson also said on Monday that the organisation remained concerned by continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including an attempt to target Riyadh, as well as attacks affecting civilian and energy infrastructure.
The UN called for restraint and compliance with international humanitarian law.
The G7 said the situation in Yemen represented a threat to regional stability, global energy security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait.
It warned that continued attacks could disrupt global supply chains, particularly flows of energy, fertiliser and food, and contribute to wider economic instability.
The group also reaffirmed its support for the legitimate government of Yemen and for UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg’s efforts to reach a negotiated political settlement.
The UN has similarly stressed the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and preventing Yemen’s conflict from further affecting international maritime routes.
The G7 statement comes as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, with the high-level general debate opening on Tuesday.
The Yemen conflict and wider regional security concerns are among the issues being discussed during the week.
The latest G7 position adds international pressure on Iran and the Houthis as fighting continues in Yemen and concerns persist over the security of one of the world’s key maritime corridors.
