Iran welcomes UN-backed two-month renewal of nationwide truce in Yemen

Iran has welcomed the two-month renewal of the nationwide truce between Yemen's warring parties under the UN auspices.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Saturday said it is hoped that Yemen's siege would be fully lifted, a lasting cease-fire secured and a political solution achieved, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the ministry's website.

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced on Thursday that the warring sides have agreed to extend the truce for another two months, hours before the initial truce was set to expire.

Khatibzadeh said Iran has always promoted a political solution to the Yemeni conflict and has "used its entire capacity" to find a "just peace" based on Yemen's own realities.

Yemen's warring parties entered a two-month cease-fire on April 2, which includes allowing commercial flights to and from Houthi-held capital Sanaa and the entry of fuel ships into the Houthi-held port of Hodeidah, and lifting the siege of the government-held Taiz city.

--IANS

int/shs