Pakistani PM Says Iran Should Be Involved in Yemen Debate
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called on Tuesday for Iran to get involved in a debate on security in Yemen as parliament resumed discussions on whether Islamabad should join a Saudi-led campaign against Yemeni forces.
On March 26, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies began to militarily interfere in Yemen's internal affairs by launching deadly air strikes against the Houthi movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
Pakistan’s defense minister earlier revealed that Riyadh has asked Pakistan to join the military aggression on Yemen by deploying its warplanes, warships and soldiers.
However, not a single Pakistani lawmaker has spoken in favor of sending troops.
Sharif, who was addressing the parliament a day after the defense minister’s comments, stressed that Iran should also join the discussion on the ongoing crisis in Yemen, Reuters reported.
Tehran has slammed the offensive as a violation of Yemen's territorial integrity and called for a halt to the assaults against Yemen, which have killed hundreds of civilians and injured thousands more.
The Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is due to visit Pakistan on Wednesday. Discussions on Yemen are expected to dominate the meeting.
Sharif said that he welcomed Iranian input.
