TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Iran’s foreign minister and UN envoy for Yemen here on Saturday stressed the importance of finding comprehensive political solutions to end the humanitarian crisis in the impoverished war-torn Arab country.
Muhammad Javad Zarif met the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed here and discussed the latest developments in the war-torn country that is reeling from a deadly Saudi aggression.
Earlier in the day, Cheikh Ahmed held talks with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussein Jaberi Ansari.
 The senior Iranian diplomat said the success of efforts to end the Yemen war is subject to the UN’s neutrality in the crisis.
Following the meeting, the Iranian official described his negotiations with the UN representative as good and constructive. He said the UN envoy seeks to actively pursue a political settlement in Yemen, according to Fars news agency.
He added Cheikh Ahmed’s visit to Iran was within the framework of his trips to countries in order to win support for the responsibility he is tasked with at the moment.
Jaberi Ansari reiterated that Tehran backs the UN’s efforts to resolve the Yemen crisis and get out of the current situation as soon as possible.
He said Iran believes efforts will bear fruit only if the UN remains fully neutral in line with its international mission and try to build confidence between the warring sides.
He expressed hope with the initiative and practical plans that the UN will pursue, efforts will be made to lift the blockade on Yemeni people as soon as possible and end the aggression against the Arab country.
He also hoped that attempts will lead to direct talks between the warring sides, the crisis will be settled politically and the Yemeni people’s votes will be used as a yardstick in a bid to get out of the current situation.
He added that the Yemeni envoy has asked Iran to contribute to the current efforts in Yemen.
During the meeting, the Iranian diplomat said the Islamic Republic supports all efforts by the UN aimed at putting an end to the war in crisis-hit Yemen.
The Iranian diplomat expressed deep concern about the severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
The UN envoy, for his part, informed Jaberi Ansari about the latest developments concerning the humanitarian situation in Yemen as well as his recent talks to revive efforts aimed at finding a political solution to the Yemeni crisis and called on Iran to support such bids.
The two officials also exchanged views about new initiatives for a solution to the political stalemate in Yemen.
Yemen has been facing war by a Saudi-led coalition since March 2015. Leading a number of its vassal states, Saudi Arabia launched the military aggression on Yemen to eliminate the Houthi Ansarullah movement and reinstall a Riyadh-friendly former president. The war, however, has failed to achieve either of the goals, morphing into a protracted conflict and causing a humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
UN-brokered talks between Yemen’s warring sides have also failed to end the conflict so far. Iran has repeatedly called for a swift end to the brutal Saudi-led military campaign.