Iran says Egypt entering Yemen war makes situation 'more difficult'

Baghdad: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that any interference in the Yemen war by Egypt or any other country would make the situation "more difficult".

"Egypt has sufficient experience to avoid entangling itself in such a highly complex conflict," said Iran's top diplomat in an interview with Iraqi state broadcaster Al-Iraqiya aired on Tuesday.

"We believe that any foreign presence or interference will only make resolving this issue more difficult," Araghchi noted.


He added that Egypt has said it "will not enter Yemen or engage in a war against Yemen".

The decade-plus war between the Iran-backed Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognised government reignited in July.

The Houthis seized much of Yemen's Red Sea coastline in September and have since launched attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on state oil giant Aramco and Riyadh's international airport, where 13 people were killed on October 10.

Egypt's parliament on Monday delayed a debate on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's request to authorise military support for Saudi Arabia until next week.

Sisi had asked lawmakers to approve military support for Saudi Arabia if requested by the kingdom, which has come under near-daily attacks from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.

Sisi said Egypt was not seeking to "confront or attack anyone", adding: "We are speaking only about defence."