Yemen's new regime is not happy with Iran. The Islah Party, the second most powerful, wants to cut all kinds of ties with Iran over allegations of interference in Yemen's affairs, writes Nasser Arrabyee The Sunni Islah, Yemen's branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, demanded this week that the Iranian ambassador to Sanaa should be dismissed and Yemeni students should be prevented from going for study in Iran. Islah is one of four main parties that form the national unity government in the transitional period on the basis of a Saudi-sponsored and American-backed deal called the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative. Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's party, the secular General People Congress (GPC), has 50 per cent of the national unity government, while the Islamist Islah has a majority of the remaining seats and dominates its nominal partners of leftists and Arab nationalists. The Iran-backed Shia Al-Houthi movement is almost in a war with Islah, as each of them wants to inherit power after Ali Abdullah Saleh, who retired according to the GCC initiative after early elections in February 2012. Hundreds were killed and injured in sporadic clashes between Al-Houthi followers and Islah followers in at least four northern provinces, Amran, Al-Jawf, Hajja, and Saada, the main stronghold of Al-Houthi movement that struggles for a self-rule in these provinces. During the crisis of 2011, Al-Houthi was the second biggest beneficiary after Al-Qaeda from the chaos and insecurity resulted from the uprising and absence of the government. Al-Houthi recruited more followers from all provinces as the movement was very active in almost all protest squares. Islah may ignore any activity by Al-Qaeda but it cannot be tolerant to Al-Houthi. Al-Houthi followers and Islah members and supporters are in almost daily clashes even in public protests. Now the campaign by Islah against Al-Houthi and Iran is even sharper than ever before because Shia activity is increasingly developing inside the capital Sanaa and other main cities. The slogan of Al-Houthi, for instance, can be seen in Sanaa and its outskirts, whereas before it was only in Saada and some other limited areas. The slogan "Death to America, death to Israel, curse to Jews, and victory to Islam" is written on plastic bags used for goods from shops. In the international book exhibition being held in Sanaa now, you can see a part of the exhibition allocated for the books and publications of the Shia Al-Houthi movement, something that never happened before. All this angered Islah and made it think that Iran was behind such a growing expansions of Al-Houthi. Spokesman of Islah Fathi Al-Azab said, "Iran violates our national sovereignty and interferes in our affairs, and undermines our security. Iran wants to be a guardian for us." And even Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, during his current visit to the US and a number of Western countries, repeatedly accused Iran of interference in Yemen's affairs. President Hadi, originally from the south, accused Iran of supporting the southern armed movement that demands separation. Also Hadi said Iran supported Yemeni journalists and politicians to spoil the transition deal that was sponsored by Saudi Arabia and supported by the US. President Hadi said six spy networks were discovered in Yemen working for Iran. Iran denied all accusations saying it is supporting security and stability and unity of Yemen. The Foreign Ministry of Iran summoned the Yemeni acting ambassador to Tehran earlier this week to tell him they were displeased by President Hadi's statements. Those who accuse Iran of supporting the separation of the south say if south Yemen secedes, this will embolden Al-Houthi to secede and establish a state in the north of the north. A Shia state in the southern border of Saudi Arabia and will pose a big threat to the Saudi Sunni kingdom, and will increase the influence of Shia Iran. The Islah Party is gaining political support from Saudi Arabia by accusing Iran and fighting Al-Houthis, "Iran agents", as Islah calls them.
