Iranian Foreign Ministry called for an immediate halt to bloodshed in Yemen and urged efforts to start a political process for formation of a national unity government in the Arab country, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned what it called the "blatant aggression" on Yemen that has brought about deaths, famine and starvation on the Yemeni people.

Over the past two years, thousands of women and children have been killed in clashes, millions of Yemenis have become dependent on humanitarian aid, as most of them are suffering from malnutrition and hunger, it said in a statement.

Destruction of this impoverished country's infrastructure and the constant bombing of hospitals and education centers are among other outcomes of this unjust war, the statement added.

Also, the war has prepared the ground for the growth of terrorist groups' activities in different parts of Yemen, a fact that threatens international peace, stability and security, the statement added.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry urged the international community to step up efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people of Yemen, especially women and children.

The situation in Yemen deteriorated economically and politically as of March 2015, when a war broke out between the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi group, allies of former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.

Houthis and Saleh's forces control most of Yemen's northern regions while government forces backed by the Saudi-led military coalition share control of the rest of the country, including seven southern provinces.

The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have killed over 10,000 individuals, half of whom were civilians, injured over 35,000 others and displaced over two million people.

 
source: Xinhua