Yemeni FM on Press TV: Houthi movement can change 'whole scenario'

Yemeni Foreign Minister in the National Salvation Government, Hisham Sharaf Abdullah, has condemned as “silly” the decision of the administration of former US President Donald Trump to designate the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement as a foreign terrorist organization, saying he might have received huge sums of money for the move.

“I think the Trump administration’s decision was something paid for. You would see in the near future. It is something paid for [in order] to say certain things or take some actions,” Abdullah said in an exclusive interview with English-language Press TV television news network broadcast late on Thursday, reiterating that the Sana’a government does not value the US move to blacklist Ansarullah — which went into effect on January 19.

He underlined that Washington is not entitled to blacklist someone or a group, advising new US leaders to be concerned with their own domestic affairs than to meddle in other countries’ issues.

Ansarulllah designation as terrorist org. indicates US opposition to peace in Yemen: Officials

A number of senior Yemeni officials condemn the US blacklisting of Ansarullah, saying the move shows Washington is not after peace in Yemen.

“The US is not an international organization or an institution, which has the right to either designate someone as terrorist or not. The US should always be concerned with its affairs, and should not try to be the guardian of the world,” the Yemeni foreign minister said.

Abdullah then called on US President Joe Biden to reverse the decisions of his predecessor and to put an end to the ongoing Saudi war on Yemen.

“If Biden displays courage, something which I think it has, they should declare that the war is over and stop their support for Saudis, Emiratis and any other party involved. The war will consequently stop, and Mr. Biden would probably win the Nobel Peace Prize that Trump had long yearned for,” the top Yemeni diplomat pointed out.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Abdullah said the Sana’a government is prepared for any possible scenario in case the Yemen peace process does not come into fruition.

UN official: US blacklisting of Houthis means 'death sentence to hundreds of thousands'

A top official of the UN has warned that designating Yemen’s Houthis as "terrorists" by the US is a death sentence to hundreds of thousands of people.

“If the peace process fails, we are ready for all circumstances. Our choices are wide open. We can exert our effect and do whatever we want. We are so strong to the point that we can change the whole scenario. Nevertheless, we will not do such a thing for the sake of Yemeni people,” he highlighted.

Earlier on Thursday, Hussein Maqbouly, Yemeni Vice President for Services and Development Affairs, stated that the US move to blacklist the popular Ansarullah movement attests to the fact that Americans do not intend to restore peace in Yemen.

Maqbouly said the designation will exacerbate the sufferings of Yemeni people, prolong the Yemen war and aggravate the ongoing humanitarian crisis there.

He pointed out that approximately 190 international organizations have denounced the US decision, whilst Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have welcomed the move.

Separately, Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister for National Vision Affairs Mahmoud al-Junaid said blacklisting Ansarullah is meant to derail peace process in Yemen, and exhibits US desire for longer chaos and bloodshed in Yemen.

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