Barran Press
The internationally recognized Yemeni government has expressed deep concern over reports that Iran is transferring thousands of Shia fighters from Pakistan and Afghanistan to areas controlled by the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries.
In a statement released on Saturday, July 27th, 2024, Yemeni Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Muammar Al-Eryani warned of the dangers posed by this alleged transfer. He accused Iran's Revolutionary Guard of working for months to move thousands of its "transnational sectarian militias" from Pakistan and Afghanistan into Houthi-controlled territories.
Al-Eryani linked this move to the escalating acts of piracy and terrorist attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden, which threaten international shipping and global trade.
He pointed out that this development coincides with the Pakistani authorities' announcement that 50,000 of their citizens have gone missing in Iraq over the past years after traveling to visit religious shrines.
Al-Eryani highlighted that the Houthi-controlled media outlet Al-Masirah has aired interviews with Pakistani nationals participating in Houthi rallies in the capital Sana'a, where they claimed to have come to Yemen to engage in "jihad" in support of Gaza.
He questioned the logic of this, asking, "Which is closer to Gaza, Lebanon and Syria which share borders with Palestine, or Iraq which is 300km away, or Yemen which is 2000km away?"
Al-Eryani emphasized that this "clear contradiction" exposes Iran and its "transnational sectarian militias" as never posing a genuine threat to Israel. He accused Iran of using the Palestinian cause and the plight of the Palestinian people as a cover for its own expansionist policies, destabilizing the region, spreading chaos and terrorism, and threatening international interests.
The Yemeni minister called for a unified international effort to confront the "systematic terrorism" he claims Iran is perpetrating. He emphasized that the consequences of Iran's terrorism are borne by countries and peoples in the region and the world, reiterating the Yemeni government's call for the international community to swiftly classify the Houthi group as a global terrorist organization and impose sanctions against them.
Meanwhile, on Friday, July 26th, Iraq announced an investigation into the disappearance of thousands of Pakistani nationals who entered the country to visit religious shrines during the month of Muharram.
Pakistan's newspaper "Al-Ummah" cited Minister of Religious Affairs Chaudhry Hussain, who stated that 50,000 Pakistani citizens have disappeared in Iraq over the past years.
Iraq's Labor Minister Ahmed Al-Asadi expressed concern and condemnation of the growing number of illegal workers in the country. He confirmed that his ministry would investigate the disappearance of thousands of Pakistanis in Iraq, stating that this matter "will be subject to investigation and appropriate legal action will be taken against those involved."