Iranian FM Asks S. Arabia to Immediately Halt Invasion of Yemen

Iranian FM Asks S. Arabia to Immediately Halt Invasion of Yemen. (Fars).

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on Riyadh to immediately stop its attack on Yemen, stressing Tehran's efforts to control the crisis.

"We want an immediate halt to Saudi Arabia's military operations in Yemen," Zarif said in an interview with Iran-based Arabic-language al-Alam news channel in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Thursday.

Stressing that the Saudi airstrikes are a blatant disrespect and violation of Yemen's sovereignty, he warned that the Saudi military operations would yield no results but bloodshed.

Zarif underscored that the airstrikes will entangle the region in more tensions, and said, "We will make all our efforts to control the crisis in Yemen."

Earlier today, the Iranian foreign ministry deplored the Thursday morning air strike against Yemen which killed and wounded tens of innocent civilians, calling it a "dangerous" move against the international obligations requiring respect for countries' national sovereignty.

Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against Yemen early Thursday, one day after the US-backed Yemeni president fled the country.

US President Barack Obama authorized the provision of logistical and intelligence support to the military operations, National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said late Wednesday night.

She added that while US forces were not taking direct military action in Yemen, Washington was establishing a Joint Planning Cell with Saudi Arabia to coordinate US military and intelligence support.