Head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi has stressed that Bab Al-Mandab must not be allowed to become another Strait of Hormuz, nor should Yemen be turned into a platform for geopolitical blackmail on behalf of Tehran. Alimi met on Thursday with Head of the European Union Delegation Patrick Simonnet and Ambassador of the Netherlands Janet Sebben. They discussed areas of bilateral cooperation, as well as the latest local and regional developments. He affirmed the state would continue to fulfill the aspirations of the Yemeni people. “It would continue to assume its responsibility to protect its citizens, restore its institutions, extend its authority throughout the national territory, and safeguard its coastline, ports, and territorial waters,” Alimi said. Al-Alimi stressed that Yemen, as it defends Bab Al-Mandab, its coastline, and territorial waters and makes sacrifices to protect them, is defending not only its own security and sovereignty, but also contributing to international security and protecting global interests. He said Yemen is helping to secure one of the world’s most important maritime routes for trade, energy supplies, and life-saving food commodities. He stressed that this shared responsibility requires a more effective international partnership to support the Yemeni state and strengthen its ability to protect this strategic maritime route. The President pointed to the clear link between this escalation and Iran’s broader strategy of shifting the cost of international pressure on Iran onto others. This is done by targeting neighboring countries, threatening energy facilities, and disrupting the Red Sea and supply chains, thereby turning Iran’s crisis with the international community into a crisis for the region and the global economy. He stressed that Bab Al-Mandab must not be allowed to become another Strait of Hormuz, nor should Yemen be turned into a platform for geopolitical blackmail on behalf of the Iranian regime. Al-Alimi affirmed that the government did not initiate this round of the war. Rather, the militias chose to resume the escalation by operating unauthorized flights and attacking civilians, displacement camps, the Port of Mocha, and civilian facilities in an attempt to impose new military realities on the ground. “Therefore, we do not want international discourse to return to the same traditional equation of calling on both sides to exercise restraint, as if responsibility were equally shared,” he said. “The party that initiated the escalation must be identified, and those who launch attacks must hold responsibility for the escalation and its consequences at all levels,” he added. Al-Alimi called for urgent European action, in coordination with the United Nations and donors, to provide shelter, food, healthcare, and other essential services to displaced persons, and to support local authorities. He warned against leaving thousands of Yemenis facing a new wave of displacement while the international community confines itself to statements of concern. He also renewed his call to move from managing the threat to addressing its source. This requires the effective implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and tighter measures to prevent the smuggling of weapons, technology, and dual-use components to the militias. Al-Alimi urged EU member states to maintain their economic, humanitarian, and development support for the government and to encourage donors to support the reform and recovery program. He said this would strengthen state institutions’ capacity to provide services and meet their obligations. He said a capable state is the real guarantee for peace. He stressed that peace based on state weakness, while militias retain their weapons and decision-making power over war, would amount to nothing more than a truce until the next round of fighting.
