Houthi and Saudi negotiators in talks in Riyadh to end eight-year war in Yemen

A Houthi delegation accompanied by Omani mediators is holding two days of talks with Saudi negotiators on a potential truce and peace settlement in the eight-year Yemen war. Riyadh seeks to “reach a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen and a sustainable political solution acceptable to all Yemeni parties”, the Saudi press agency reported.

Head of the Houthi supreme political council Mahdi al-Mashat told the Houthi news agency, “Peace was and remains our first choice, which must be worked on by everyone.” He said the Houthi delegation’s aim in Riyadh was “to complete consultations with the Saudi side”.

Talks have focused on Houthi demands for an end to the Saudi blockade of Houthi-controlled ports and Sana’a airport; payment by the Saudi-backed Aden government of wages for all public servants from oil revenues; reconstruction; and a timeline for foreign forces to leave Yemen.

This is the first visit of Houthi envoys to the kingdom since the Houthis expelled the Saudi-backed interim president Abdel Rabbo Mansur Hadi from Sana’a, Yemen’s capital, in 2014. With US support, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition launched an air, land, and sea military campaign in Yemen to restore Mr Hadi. They had expected that the Houthis would capitulate within months. Once the Saudis and their partners the United Arab Emirates became involved, Iran provided the Houthis with limited political support and weapons.

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The talks follow Monday’s visit to Oman by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose eagerness to exit the war is seen by some commentators as an admission of defeat. Oman has assumed the key role as mediator between Saudis and Houthis.

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On Thursday, Saudi king Salman and prince Mohammed received two letters from Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi regarding co-operation in foreign affairs and offering support in various fields. Although the substance of the letters has not been disclosed, it appears likely that Riyadh could be assured of Tehran’s backing in negotiations with the Houthis.

Peacemaking gained momentum in March after China forged reconciliation between Tehran and Riyadh. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after the Iranians ransacked the Saudi missions in Iran to protest against the kingdom’s execution of dissident Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Momentum in the talks has been sustained by the Saudi-Houthi exchange of hundreds of prisoners.

The war has killed 377,000 Yemenis and rendered 26 million out of the 33 million Yemeni population dependent on diminishing international aid due to lack of funding.

In peace negotiations, the Houthis intend to insist on remaining in power in the north, where 80 per cent of Yemenis live, but the region outside Houthi control is likely to be wracked by multiple conflicts between Saudi-backed local forces in Aden, Emirati-supported southern secessionists, tribal elements, and Islamic State, also known as Isis.