Saudi Arabia says its national security is a red line, backs call for UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Photo: X/ Reuters
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss the current regional situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
The contact took place amid rising regional tensions following Saudi Arabia’s attacks on Yemen. During the call, the two leaders exchanged views on the evolving situation in the region and shared assessments of recent developments.
Dar conveyed Christmas greetings and best wishes for the New Year to Prince Faisal, which were warmly reciprocated by the Saudi Foreign Minister.
According to the FO, the deputy prime minister expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to further strengthen cooperation in various sectors.
Read: Saudi-led coalition attacks Mukalla pier in Yemen over alleged STC arms delivery
Prince Faisal, in turn, reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to improving and deepening bilateral relations, underscoring the importance of continued engagement between the two countries. The conversation reflected the close and long-standing relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as well as their shared interest in regional peace and stability.
The contact came as the region faces unprecedented tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates following a Saudi attack in Yemen, which Riyadh said targeted an arms shipment linked to the United Arab Emirates. This development marked the most significant escalation between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to date.
The two Gulf states, once considered twin pillars of regional security, have seen their interests diverge on a range of issues, including oil quotas and geopolitical influence.
Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that its national security was a red line and backed a call for United Arab Emirates forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours. The warning represented Riyadh’s strongest language yet against Abu Dhabi, as the coalition attacked what it described as foreign military support for southern separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates. The head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council also set a deadline for the withdrawal of Emirati forces.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are major players in the OPEC group of oil exporters, and any disagreement between the two could complicate consensus on oil production decisions.
Read also: Saudi Arabia calls national security a red line, urges UAE to leave Yemen
Meanwhile, the head of Yemen’s presidential council, Rashad al-Alimi, canceled a defense pact with the United Arab Emirates, Yemen’s state news agency reported, and accused Abu Dhabi of fueling internal conflicts through its support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC).
“Unfortunately, it has been definitively confirmed that the UAE pressured and ordered the STC to undermine and rebel against state authority through military escalation,” he said in a televised speech.
The UAE had been part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen since 2015. Although it began withdrawing its troops in 2019, it remained committed to the internationally recognized government backed by Saudi Arabia.
The STC subsequently sought self-government in southern Yemen and this month advanced a surprise offensive against Saudi-backed government forces, breaking years of stalemate. The move brought Gulf allies closer to confrontation and raised fears of a new civil war.
The STC claimed extensive control of southern Yemen, including the strategically important Hadramout province. Saudi Arabia had warned the group against military advances in the area and called for a withdrawal, a demand the STC dismissed.
According to the coalition, the limited airstrikes early Tuesday followed the arrival of two ships from the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend without authorization. After reaching Mukalla, the ships reportedly disabled their tracking systems and unloaded large quantities of weapons and combat vehicles to support the STC.
Saudi state media published a video showing a ship identified as Green Earthwhich he said had transported weapons and combat vehicles from the Emirati port of Fujairah.
