Saudi sources accompanying the Riyadh delegation in Tehran reportedly tried to prevent Houthi leaders from attending the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader, but failed, according to analyst Ro'i Kais. He quotes accounts that Iran sought to use the funeral to establish a dangerous precedent of direct flights between Tehran and Sanaa, which could facilitate weapons transfers.
Saudi officials who arrived in Tehran for the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader reportedly failed to prevent Houthi leaders from attending the ceremony, according to Arab affairs analyst Ro'i Kais. The Saudis were part of a Riyadh delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed al-Khuraiji, as The Zioneer previously reported.
Kais, publishing Friday evening, described the episode as part of an Iranian effort to use the funeral to establish direct flights between Tehran and Sanaa — a move that could facilitate the transfer of weapons and military equipment to the Houthi movement. The analyst noted that the Saudis' attempt to block Houthi participation was unsuccessful.
The incident follows heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Earlier Friday, Saudi Arabia had threatened to intercept any Houthi leader attempting to leave Yemen for the funeral, and the Houthi military spokesman warned Riyadh against violating Yemeni airspace. The Iranian civilian plane that reportedly landed in Sanaa earlier in the day was credited by Houthi sources with breaking the Saudi-led blockade. The account of the Saudi attempt to bar Houthi leaders is based on a single source and has not been independently confirmed.
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