Saudi Arabia, following recent failures in applying effective military pressure on Sana'a, has once again turned to the idea of negotiation. While facing heavy missile attacks from Ansar Allah, the country is trying to achieve a diplomatic solution through international and regional mediators. In this context, Saudi Arabia has relied on Hans Grundberg, the UN special envoy for Yemen.
New Diplomatic Efforts by Saudi Arabia
The official Yemeni news agency, Saba, has reported that Grundberg met with Mohammed Abdulsalam, the head of the Ansar Allah negotiating team, in Muscat. Abdulsalam emphasized Yemen's demands during this meeting and called for the lifting of the blockade on Yemen's airports and ports, the removal of economic and humanitarian restrictions, and the payment of salaries to employees. He also warned of the consequences for the Saudi side if these demands are not met.
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However, Ansar Allah has rejected Saudi proposals due to the lack of acceptance of its humanitarian demands, insisting that the country must fulfill its commitments. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is trying to present itself as a peace mediator and portray the conflict as an internal issue among Yemenis.
Complex Consequences of Negotiations
Informed sources say that Saudi Arabia has proposed resuming negotiations regarding the economic file and holding meetings between Yemeni parties to reach an agreement on the resumption of oil production and exports. This agreement could allocate the resulting revenues to pay government employees' salaries in various provinces.
Saudi Arabia's renewed request for negotiations comes at a time when Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has rejected Saudi Arabia's request to carry out airstrikes against Ansar Allah. Trump stated in a phone conversation with Fox News that the United States is in constant contact with Ansar Allah, and this movement has agreed not to engage in conflict with the United States.
At the same time, the battlefield situation in Yemen is also changing. Ansar Allah continues its advance toward the southern gate of the city of Taiz and has succeeded in bringing key areas under its control. These advances indicate an escalation of tensions in the region and are likely to lead to further complexities in negotiations.
Sayed Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the leader of the Ansar Allah movement, recently advised Turkey and Pakistan not to succumb to Saudi pressure for intervention in Yemen and specifically warned about the consequences of such intervention. He also referred to the cooperation of the United States in intercepting Yemeni attacks in Saudi airspace, stating that this could lead to an escalation of tensions.
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