The Houthis, an Iranian-backed terrorist group in Yemen, continue to pose a threat to international peace and security. They have also created an “untenable environment for continued aid provision in areas under Houthi control,” declared U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the United Nations.
The United States, at President Trump’s direction, re-designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization recently and is taking steps to eliminate their capabilities.
One such means is the use of targeted sanctions aimed at depriving the Houthis of illicit revenues, said Ambassador Shea.
“Our sanctions seek to preserve space for legitimate activities that support Yemenis living in Houthi-controlled territory who bear no responsibility for the Houthis’ malign actions.”
“We will also take steps to stop Iran’s support for Houthi terrorism, in accordance with President Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum re-imposing maximum pressure on Iran,” noted Ambassador Shea.
She warned that the U.S. “will take action against the Houthis should they resume their reckless attacks in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways and on Israel.”
Ambassador Shea urged the Security Council to “respond to Iran’s flagrant violations of our resolutions through its continued arming of the Houthis.”
“We reiterate our call for this Council to take steps to strengthen the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, or UNVIM, and for Member States to do their part by increasing funding for UNVIM’s long-term planning, recruitment of staff, and critical infrastructure needed for enhanced capacity to inspect 100 percent of covered containers.”
Hamas, another Iran-enabled terrorist group, is advising the Houthis to “keep their hand on the trigger for renewed attacks on regional states and international commerce,” warned Ambassador Shea.
“Member States must stop making excuses for the Houthis and cease propagating a false moral equivalency on regional issues. Houthi actions have done nothing for the Palestinian people. They have only endangered the lives of innocent, and they have brought more suffering to Yemenis.”
The Yemeni people continue to suffer from economic repression and Houthi roundups. Moreover, Houthis are unlawfully detaining people and conducting sham trials, said Ambassador Shea. “We categorically reject the unlawful process and strongly warn of any potential use of it as cover for politically motivated killings.”
The United States, stressed Ambassador Shea, will continue to oppose the destabilizing actions of the Houthis and will not abide any attacks on our interests.
