Yemeni official thanks Iran for breaking air blockade

According to Mehr News Agency, citing Yemeni Al-Masirah TV, Abdul Malik Al-Ajri, a member of the political bureau of the Yemeni Ansarullah movement, expressed gratitude for Iran's action in breaking the air blockade on Yemen. He stated: "We express our gratitude and appreciation for the courageous and humanitarian action of the Islamic Republic in returning the Yemenis trapped outside, including the wounded and sick." He also thanked Iran for "breaking the oppressive siege imposed by the Saudi regime on Yemen's airports and ports." Al-Ajri criticized Saudi Arabia for imposing an unjustified siege on Yemen's airports and ports, ignoring neighborly relations and human and moral principles.

The Yemeni Foreign Ministry also issued a statement praising Iran's action. The statement said: "We thank the Islamic Republic of Iran for its courageous and important stance in breaking the siege of Sanaa International Airport. Iran's humanitarian action is worthy of respect and appreciation and will remain in the minds of the Yemenis. The Yemeni people will not forget the principled and humanitarian stances of the Islamic Republic of Iran." The ministry added that "many practical steps will be taken based on Iran's stance to strengthen brotherly ties based on faith and areas of cooperation in various fields."

This development comes amid a prolonged conflict in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Ansarullah movement since 2015. The blockade has severely restricted the flow of humanitarian aid and the movement of people. Iran's move to bypass the blockade is seen as a significant gesture of support for the Ansarullah-led government in Sanaa. According to Mehr News Agency, the Iranian airplane arrived in Yemen carrying stranded Yemenis, including wounded and sick individuals, marking a direct challenge to the Saudi-led blockade.