Yemen's Houthis To Operate Direct Flights To Iran

Yemen's Shiite Houthi group, which controls the Arab state's institutions, on Saturday signed a memorandum for operating 28 flights between capital Sanaa and Iranian capital Tehran every week.



The memorandum was signed in Tehran on Saturday by civil aviation authorities in both Yemen and Iran, the official Yemeni news agency, which is controlled by the Houthis, reported.



It added that the memorandum would start coming into effect as of Saturday.



The semi-official Iranian news agency Fars said earlier that direct flights between Sanaa and Tehran would open the door for the export of Iranian commodities to Yemen.



Nevertheless, some observers express fears that the flights could be used in the transfer of arms to Yemen's Houthis.



Tension has mounted in Yemen since the powerful Shiite Houthi group seized control of capital Sanaa in September of 2014. The group has sought to extend its control in other Yemeni provinces ever since.



On Feb. 6, the Houthis issued a "constitutional declaration" dissolving Yemen's parliament and establishing a 551-member transitional council.



The declaration was, however, rejected by most of Yemen's political forces – along with some neighboring Gulf countries – which described it as a "coup against constitutional legitimacy."



www.aa.com.tr/en - Sana