WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The ongoing military campaign in Yemen aims to restore political dialogue as a military solution to the crisis is not viable, US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken said.
“There is not going to be a military solution,” Blinken said on Wednesday at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“The purpose of this engagement by the Saudis and other GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries with our support is and has to be to get the parties back to a political dialogue and a political process,” he added.
Yemen is currently engulfed in a violent conflict between the Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemen’s ousted President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Blinken noted that it is important to include the Houthis in the political process.
“The Houthis need to be at the table,” he said.
Blinken also argued that Iran has taken advantage of the deteriorating situation in Yemen.
“We do not see this conflict as something that is being commanded and controlled by the Iranians, but it’s clearly being supported by them,” he added.
On April 9, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned that the United States could respond to Iran's possible attempts to escalate tensions in the Middle East.
US President Barack Obama has stated earlier that the United States would continue to support stability and security in the region.
