Iranian officials hit back at the British effort to target Iran in the United Nations

Tabnak – After the Western members of United Nations Security Council failed to pass a resolution condemning Iran for what’s going on in Yemen, Iranian officials are hitting back at the west, demanding an end to the US and European countries’ support for Saudi Arabia in its invasion to Yemen.

In this vein, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has called on the Western countries to stop providing Saudi Arabia with weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) for the sake of Yemeni people, who have been suffering under Riyadh’s bloody attacks and siege.

“We say to Europe and the world that if you truly care about the people of Yemen, don’t give Saudi Arabia destructive bombs. If you really think of Yemenis, don’t give Saudi Arabia banned Napalm bombs, don’t give Saudi Arabia cluster bombs,” he said.

The comments came two days after Russia vetoed a British-drafted resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that seemed more to target Iran rather than address the Yemen crisis. The failed document called for “additional measures” against Iran over accusations that it violated the 2015 arms embargo on Yemen.

In line with Rouhani’s remarks, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has also said that the United States and Britain are responsible for Saudi Arabia's continued warmongering and military aggression against Yemen.

"The performance of the US and Britain over the past three years at the [United Nations] Security Council has been unconstructive and in line with giving legitimacy to the aggressors against Yemen," Qassemi said on Tuesday.

He added that Washington and London have been using the mechanisms of the UN Security Council over the past three years to cover up "war crimes" committed by Saudi Arabia and its allies in the impoverished country.

Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the US and UK's recent failed anti-Tehran resolution is nothing but an attempt to cover up their roll in Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen.

Zarif also reiterated Tehran's calls for ceasefire, aid, and an inclusive government in the country, while stressing that dialogue was the only solution to the crisis in Yemen.

"Desperate attempt at UNSC by US & UK to cover up complicity in 3 years of Saudi & Emirati war crimes in Yemen failed. Since the very start, Iran called for ceasefire, aid, dialogue & inclusive government. This—not a delusion of military victory or accusations—remains the only solution" Zarif tweeted late on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said that Russia's vote against the UN draft resolution represented another setback for the US.

The draft resolution gained 11 favorable votes at the 15-member Security Council but was blocked by Russia's veto. China and Kazakhstan abstained, while Bolivia also voted against the measure.

A group of so-called independent United Nations experts monitoring the sanctions on Yemen reported to the Security Council in January that it had “identified missile remnants, related military equipment and military unmanned aerial vehicles that are of Iranian origin and were brought into Yemen after the imposition of the targeted arms embargo.”

The Security Council instead adopted unanimously a Russian-written resolution that called for a one-year extension of sanctions against Yemen and a renewal of the work of the panel of experts.