US-Iran Peace Agreement, UN Opens Opportunity for Peace to Spread in Yemen

JAKARTA - The US-Iran peace deal has created a potential turning point for the long-stalled Yemen peace process.

This was conveyed by the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday, June 16.

In briefing the 15 members of the UN Security Council on the latest developments in the conflict, Grundberg said the agreement between the US and Iran offered an opportunity that should not be squandered by the Yemeni stakeholders.

"For almost three years, regional shockwaves have complicated the prospects for the Yemeni peace process, deepened mistrust between the warring parties and delayed a willingness to compromise," he said, quoted by AN, Wednesday, June 17.

"I hope this agreement marks a turning point for the region, and I will work with the warring parties to encourage them to use this moment to make progress in Yemen," he continued.

Grundberg's statement came as the UN Secretary-General also welcomed the US-Iran peace deal, which reflected the widespread international hope that reduced tensions between the two powers could ease the geopolitical pressure that has heavily burdened diplomatic efforts to end the Yemeni conflict.

Grundberg added that despite other turmoil in the region, Yemen is partially protected from the worst effects for now.

Grundberg said the threat of a resumption of Houthi attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea had not materialized, and the relative calm that had prevailed since the 2022 ceasefire remained in place.

However, Grundberg said, "the conflict in Yemen is not resolved, it is not over - and every day, it is the Yemeni people who bear the cost of this uncertain status quo."

Grundberg added that the front lines of the conflict in Yemen drain resources, deepen fragmentation, and accelerate the militarization of society to the point where students and teachers join armed groups solely as a means of economic survival.

Regional conflicts are known to have added new pressure on Yemen's already battered economy. The country's heavy reliance on imports, and its geopolitical proximity to the conflict, has driven up food and fuel prices, fueling inflation.

In recent weeks, protests have taken place in Aden and other Yemeni provinces related to power shortages during the summer.