Barran Press
Forces loyal to Presidential Leadership Council member Tariq Saleh intercepted a dhow on February 12, 2025, carrying a shipment of fertilizer destined for the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The vessel, named "Zaid," was carrying nine Iranian and three Pakistani nationals.
The crew members confessed to transporting urea fertilizer from Chabahar, Iran, to Al-Salif port in Hudaydah, Yemen. A naval patrol intercepted the dhow.
The captain of the "Zaid" revealed that the shipment was indeed intended for the Houthis and that the owner of the consignment had provided falsified documents indicating the cargo originated from Karachi, Pakistan, instead of Chabahar, Iran, in an attempt to mislead authorities. The captain claimed he was unaware of the shipment's final destination, believing it was going to a Yemeni company not affiliated with the Houthis. The crew corroborated the captain's account. The captain also reported that another dhow, the “Imran,” which was traveling with them, sank off the coast of Oman due to inclement weather.