France accuses Iran of arming Yemen’s Houthi rebels

France on Thursday accuses Iran of supplying weapons to Houthi rebels waging a three-year fight against a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, and rejects Tehran’s denial.

“There is a problem in Yemen: it is that the political process has not begun, that Saudi Arabia feels regularly attacked by the Houthis, who are themselves supplied with arms by Iran,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio.

Iran has said it supports the Houthis’ cause in Yemen but has repeatedly denied arming them, despite claims by the United States and Saudi Arabia of evidence of weapon shipments.

Le Drian’s comments come just days before an official visit to France by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose government has threatened Iran with retaliation after Houthi rebels fired seven missiles into Saudia Arabia last weekend.

— AFP