Rouhani, Tamim attack Arab coalition in Yemen

Islam Mohamed

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad attacked in a phone call on April 22 the Saudi-led Arab coalition’s support to legitimacy in Yemen. Qatar has been boycotted by the Arab quartet, which includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, for Doha’s supporting and funding terrorism in Yemen.

The Arab coalition has made sacrifices and great efforts to restore legitimacy in Yemen, which has been torn by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militias.

In the phone call, Rouhani praised his country’s achievements in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, adding that Tehran was ready “to transfer its expertise” to other countries, especially Qatar.

Rouhani’s statements contradicted official statistics that said Iran lacked medical services, while the COVID-19 is spreading across the country.

Moreover, in contradiction to what Iranian leader Ali Khamenei said about the US sanctions, Rouhani complained that the sanctions were unfair, citing that the US had rejected Iran’s request to get a loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Earlier, Khamenei claimed that the US embargo had strengthened Iran’s economy and reduced its dependence on foreign countries.

In January, Tamim visited Tehran for the first time since his coup against his late father in 2013. The visit came after the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Soleimani was killed by a US drone. Iran accused Qatar of taking part in the killing as the drone flew from a US air base in Qatar. Iranian political analyst Hassan Abbasi, a former member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that Tamim had offered $3 billion to Tehran, so that Iran wouldn’t target Doha in retaliation.

Qatar has been accused of supporting Iran’s terrorism in the Arab region. Yemen’s Minister of Information Muammar al-Eriany accused Qatar of supporting Iran’s plans to export its revolution to the region.

The Yemeni minister said Qatar’s stance is clear as it supports the Houthi terrorist militias.