Exclusive: Last time we accept truce extension with such rules - Sanaa

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The head of the Sanaa negotiating delegation Muhammad Abdul Salam confirmed on Thursday that "the visit to Moscow comes in an exceptional and sensitive circumstance to find a solution that will benefit the people of Yemen at such a stage."

In an interview with Al Mayadeen, Abdul Salam said, "Our stance as a Yemeni people from what is happening at the international level has been inspired early on by the danger of the American project," adding that "there is an awareness that Yemen represents a strategic point at the regional and international levels." 

"The aggression against Yemen is led by the US, Britain, and the West," he said, adding that "Washington is managing the Yemeni file behind the scenes to serve the interests of Israel, and narrow interests of Saudi Arabia and the UAE."

"The US position is still tactical, and both Saudi Arabia and the UAE follow it."  

The head of the negotiating delegation added, "There are new challenges that we share with Russia, Iran, the countries of the axis of resistance, and other countries affected by the US hegemony," noting that "there is a change in the regional and international mood, and Saudi Arabia is aware that the US protection is no longer guaranteed."

Failure to reach an agreement means return to war 

Abdul Salam indicated that "the truce came for reasons related to the humanitarian situation," saying, "This is the last time we accept its extension according to the current conditions," noting that the lack of a humanitarian solution in salaries, siege, and other issues impedes the ceasefire.

Abdul Salam warned that "companies that plunder the wealth of Yemenis will be militarily targeted after the truce ends," warning that "if the truce ends without reaching a clear agreement, we will target those who target us, and this means the return of a war that is perhaps greater than it was before."

"We demand the natural rights of the Yemeni people, and we consider that non-disbursement of employee salaries a crime against our people," Abdul Salam said, adding that "the real guarantees come with implementation," and "the mediator can provide messages but cannot provide guarantees."

"They talked about removing [Abed Rabbo Mansour] Hadi and forming the Transitional Council under the title of peace, declaring themselves the failure of the military option." 

Regarding Saudi-Iranian relations, Abdul Salam said, "We believe that any possible rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh is positive," adding, "Palestine is the nation's central issue, and the US project also targets us against the background of our stance on Palestine."

Yesterday, the Russian President's Special Representative to the Middle East and African Countries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, held discussions with the Yemeni delegation on a political solution to the crisis in Yemen.

On August 2, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced that Yemen's warring parties have agreed to extend the truce for another two months just hours before it was due to expire.

The terms of the armistice in Yemen include stopping offensive military operations by land, sea, and air inside Yemen and across its borders, and facilitating the entry of ships carrying fuel to the ports of Al-Hudaydah, western Yemen.

The truce also includes allowing two flights to and from Sanaa International Airport per week and holding a meeting between the parties to agree on opening roads in Taiz and other governorates, to improve the freedom of movement of people inside Yemen.

On June 15, Dmitry Polyansky, the first deputy of the Russian Federation's Permanent Representative to the UN, expressed regret that the negotiations to reopen the roads in Taiz have not led to the expected results, calling on all parties to find the "common denominator" in order to reach a solution to relieve the problems of the Yemeni people, expressing concern about the socioeconomic situation in Yemen and stressing that it is necessary to lift restrictions on the delivery of food, medicine, and other goods all across Yemen.