(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - "The Iranians want to build influence in Yemen... both internally and more broadly in the region by establishing a foothold in the Arabian Peninsula," Gerald Feierstein said in an interview with daily al-Hayat in London on Sunday.
He claimed that Iran's influence in Yemen is “naturally regarded as a security threat” by Saudi Arabia and other members of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council.
"There is evidence that Hezbollah and Hamas support this Iranian effort. We are aware of a southern Yemeni presence in Beirut that has been used as a conduit for Iranian support for obstruction in southern Yemen," he alleged.
Feierstein had also told Reuters in an interview last month that there were signs of greater Iranian activity in Yemen, but did not specify where and how.
The US ambassador’s accusations against Iran come at the time when Feierstein himself faces growing public calls to leave Yemen.
Yemenis accuse him of being actually in charge in Yemen and of working to transfer power from unpopular deposed Yemeni dictator, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to his vice president in a single-candidate vote also backed by Saudi Arabia.
Yemenis see this contrary to their demands for real democracy, accusing the US ambassador of returning dictatorship to their country.
People in Yemen also accuse the US of bombing civilians as Washington carries out military operations it claims are aimed at fighting al-Qaeda militants.
/106
