Despite Evidence of Military Support, Iran’s Top Military Commander Calls Support for Houthis ‘Advisory’
While the United States and Saudi Arabia accuse Iran of sending money and weapons to Yemeni Houthi rebels, Iran’s top military commander announced that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ support for the Houthis is “advisory” in nature.
Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated in remarks published Tuesday, September 30, by several Iranian domestic websites, citing his interview with Chinese television network Phoenix, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ assistance to the Houthis is “advisory,” similar to its support for Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria’s civil war.
This comes at a time when, at the height of clashes between Bashar al-Assad’s forces and Syrian government opponents, various videos were released showing the presence of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces on the front lines of fighting and their engagement with Syrian opposition fighters.
On the other hand, the United States government, which accuses the Islamic Republic of interference in the Yemen war, has twice displayed parts of equipment sent by the Islamic Republic to Yemeni Houthis, including missile components.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ support for Houthi rebels comes at a time when the international community recognizes the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, Saudi-backed president of Yemen.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have characterized Iran’s interventions in regional countries as destructive and a cause of tension and instability.
The United States, Saudi Arabia, France, Britain, and Germany have also held the Islamic Republic responsible for recent drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities.
Source: Voice of America
