A day after President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s comments to al-Hayat regarding Iran’s alleged meddling within Yemen internal affairs, Tehran was keen to respond to the such scathing remark, reiterating that it inherently support any country’s right to self-determination.
Keen to deflect President Hadi’s covert political threat, Iran’s Foreign Minister’ spokesperson, Marzieh Afkham reminded Sana’a authorities that its kidnapped diplomat had yet to be safely released back into Iran’s custody. An administrative staff member at the Iranian embassy in Sana’a, Noor Ahmad Nikbakht was kidnapped last year by unknown armed men as he was traveling in his vehicle in a southern district of the capital. Angered by what it perceives as Sana’a’s lack of commitment, Iran Foreign Ministry has warned it would make sure Yemen owns up to its legal responsibilities.
"Iran ... awaits immediate action by the Yemeni government for the release of the kidnapped Iranian diplomat," said Afkham, trying to turn the table around.
Ever since President Hadi was elected at the presidency, Yemen and Iran have enjoyed less than cordial relations, as accusations of spying and political meddling have often been thrown around, shadowing diplomatic ties.
Even though Iran has time and time again insisted it did not and does not enable dissident groups in Yemen, namely the Houthis (Shiite group based in northern Sa’ada) and al-Harak (southern secessionist movement) analysts and politicians remain somewhat dubious. The idea is that Iran would be looking to expand its zone of influence in the Arabian Peninsula by exploiting dissent.