The United Nations Security Council held an open meeting on the Yemen issue on Tuesday, when Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg highlighted the spillover effects of the war in the Middle East on Yemen, and called for joint efforts to proceed political settlement.
Grundberg said that in late March, the Houthi armed group in Yemen launched attacks on Israel, raising international concerns that the conflict could expand to new fronts. He also noted the widespread concern about the risk of Yemen being drawn into the war and emphasized the importance of maintaining safe navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The special envoy said that the escalating regional tension has had a continued impact on Yemen's economy, with rising commodity prices and import disruptions putting greater pressure on vulnerable groups.
Grundberg said that the fundamental solution to the Yemen situation lies in a political settlement, and the future of the Yemeni people should not be jeopardized by regional turmoil.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen. More than 22 million people are in need of assistance, more than 18 million face severe hunger, 2.2 million children under the age of five are suffering from acute malnutrition, and the healthcare system in the region is close to collapse, said OCHA.
Sun Lei, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, said that the current situation in the Middle East has escalated sharply, posing new challenges to Yemen and the Red Sea. The initiation of talks between the United States and Iran is a step towards de-escalation, and the international community should resolutely oppose any actions that undermine the ceasefire, he said.
"The most urgent task is to try every means to prevent the resumption of hostilities and maintain the hard-won ceasefire momentum. The international community should continue to intensify its efforts to promote peace talks and unequivocally oppose any actions that undermine the ceasefire or escalate confrontation," Sun said.
UN Security Council holds open meeting on Yemen
The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since Saturday evening and will not reopen until the United States lifts its naval blockade on the waterway.
In a statement carried by its official news outlet Sepah News, the IGRC said that the move came after the United States violated its commitments under the two-week ceasefire, which took effect on April 8, and failed to end its naval blockade against Iranian vessels and ports.
The IRGC Navy called on all vessels and their owners to follow official updates via its channel and VHF Channel 16, the international maritime distress, safety, and calling frequency. The statements by U.S. President Donald Trump hold no credibility in the strait and the Gulf, it added.
The IRGC warned that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Gulf or the Gulf of Oman, and any approach to the strait would be deemed "cooperation with the enemy" and targeted accordingly.
Tehran's political leadership echoed the IRGC's firm position. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran's control, revealing that during previous negotiations, Iran had firmly countered U.S. attempts to carry out minesweeping operations, which Tehran viewed as a ceasefire violation.
He said the situation had come close to conflict, but the U.S. had eventually backed off.
Calling the U.S. maritime blockade "reckless and ignorant," Ghalibaf warned that passage through the strait would certainly be restricted if Washington does not lift the blockade.
Underpinning these public announcements, Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Saturday affirmed the country's resolve to exercise control and supervision over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war is definitively ended and lasting peace is achieved in the region.
For its part, the United States pressed ahead with its own military measures.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Saturday that the U.S. military is imposing a maritime blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports and nearby coastal areas. Since the blockade began on April 13, 23 ships have complied with U.S. directions to turn around.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military is preparing in the coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing U.S. officials.
The move will enable the U.S. to take control of Iran-linked vessels around the world, including ships carrying Iranian oil that are already sailing outside the Persian Gulf and those carrying arms that could support Tehran, the report said.
Iran's IRGC says Strait of Hormuz blocked, demands end to US naval blockade
