Iranian FM visit to Yemen delayed

SANA'A, Oct. 18 (Saba) - The visit of Iranian
Foreign Affairs Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to Yemen, which was scheduled next
Monday, was
postponed.

Well-informed sources said to Saba on Sunday that Mottaki's visit had been delayed
until next week.
"The current concerns of President Ali Abdullah Saleh were the reason of the
delay", declared the sources.
Mottaki was expected to convey a letter to President Saleh from his Iranian
counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad concerning the bilateral relations.
Mottaki has told the Iranian semi-official Mehr News Agency that the visit comes
because Iran gives more attention to its ties with Yemen.
"Iran seeks to help bring stability to this Muslim country", he said.
There were accusations against Iranian bodies of supporting the al-Houthi rebels,
who have been fighting government troops since 2004 in the northern governorate of
Saada.
However, Yemen does not point directly to the Iranian official side, as it affirms
it has collected much evidence over Iranian aid for the al-Houthis.
In this regard, Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi reiterated last Saturday that
Iran supported the insurgents, pointing to previous announcements by the Iranian
government
when it offered to help put an end to the conflict in Saada and Amran, northern Yemen.
"Iran's stance over the issue, either through its offers to help end the conflict
or expressing its concerns about the escalating situation, has proved Iran is
involved,
hence, there is no need to talk about further evidence over the involvement", said
al-Qirbi.
AF/AF