France accuses Iran of supplying weapons to Yemen’s Houthi rebels

France on Thursday accused Iran of supplying weapons to Houthi rebels waging a three-year fight against a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. “There is a problem in Yemen: it is that the political process has not begun, that Saudi Arabia feels regularly attacked by the Houthis, who are themselves supplied with arms by Iran,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio. Iran has said it supports the Houthis’ cause in Yemen but has repeatedly denied arming them, despite claims by the US and Saudi Arabia of evidence of weapon shipments, AFP reported. Le Drian’s comments came days before an official visit to France by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudi government has threatened Tehran with retaliation after Houthi rebels fired seven missiles into Saudi Arabia last weekend.