(Tehran) – Iran on Saturday rejected US accusations of its involvement in the recent attacks launched by the Houthi rebels in Yemen against commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri told the local Mehr Agency, “The resistance (the armed groups fighting against Israel, editor’s note) has its own forces and acts according to its decisions and capabilities.”
According to Mehr, the diplomat was responding to “Western allegations” that Tehran is “informing” the Yemeni Houthis “of the location of American ships.”
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said earlier that the United States had already asked Iran to advise the Yemeni rebels not to act against American and Israeli interests in the region.
We made clear to the Americans that these groups acted according to their interests […] The minister announced during a conference organized Saturday to support the Palestinians.
He continued: “We did not order them and we will not order them to stop the attacks.”
Claiming to be working to support Palestinian Hamas in their war against Israel, Yemeni rebels, with the support of Tehran, have in recent weeks claimed responsibility for several attacks against commercial ships linked, they say, to Israel.
On Friday, the White House accused Iran of being “heavily involved in planning” recent attacks by Houthi rebels by providing them with “advanced military equipment” and “intelligence assistance.”
On Saturday, a drone struck a commercial ship in the Indian Ocean, causing damage but no casualties, according to two shipping agencies, one of which said the ship was linked to Israel. Responsibility for this attack was not immediately determined.
According to the Pentagon, the Houthis, who control large areas of Yemeni territory, including the capital, Sanaa, launched more than 100 attacks with drones and missiles, targeting 10 commercial ships from more than 35 different countries.
