News - Middle East: Iran's representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, on Thursday strongly rejected the allegations made against Iran in the Yemen Experts Team's report.

He emphasized that Iran has never operated proxy groups and does not view other countries in the region as acting on its behalf. According to the Tasnim International News Agency, Iravani criticized the report issued by the Yemen Experts Team, describing it as unfounded and lacking objective evidence.

In a letter to the UN Security Council and the Secretary-General, Iravani argued that the report relies on false and biased assumptions. He noted that the report portrays Ansarullah as lacking technical and technological capabilities, attempting to justify claims of their reliance on "foreign trainers."

Iravani highlighted that paragraph 65 of the report is based on "alleged similarities" between weapons used by Ansarullah and those linked to Iran. The report suggests that these similarities indicate Iranian support and training. However, Iravani asserted that Iranian authorities had thoroughly reviewed these allegations and categorically rejected them.

He stressed that the resemblance between weapons cannot be considered evidence of their origin, as similar weapons can be produced in various parts of the world using reverse engineering techniques.

Iravani further criticized the report's reliance on unverified images and documents, describing them as lacking credibility and failing to meet the standards of verifiable evidence. He also condemned the report's methodology, asserting that it is based on assumptions rather than proven facts.

Addressing additional allegations regarding the training of Ansarullah  at Iranian military bases, Iravani stated: "The committee claims that Ansarullah received training at military bases inside Iran but fails to provide any explanation or evidence to substantiate these claims. Iran categorically and unequivocally rejects these baseless accusations. Such allegations must be supported by reliable, verifiable information and grounded in clear evidence."

Responding to claims regarding "Operation True Promise," Iravani wrote: "The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects the accusations in paragraph 67 of the report, which pertain to 'coordination between the Houthis, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and other resistance factions' regarding 'Operation True Promise.'"

"This operation was a purely Iranian military initiative carried out within the framework of Iran's inherent right to self-defense. It was a direct and proportionate response to the Zionist terrorist attack on Iranian diplomatic facilities in Damascus on April 1, 2024—a blatant violation of international law, particularly the principle of non-attack on diplomatic facilities and representatives. These baseless allegations aim to distort the legitimate nature of Iran’s response to an unlawful act of aggression."

Iravani also criticized the commission’s reliance on media reports and interviews with individuals speaking in a personal capacity on matters unrelated to their official duties. He stated: "Such sources cannot represent the official position of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

He further rejected claims that news agencies such as Tasnim and Nour News are affiliated with Iranian military bodies, calling these allegations baseless. Iravani emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran has an official government spokesperson, and the opinions or analyses of individuals not affiliated with the government cannot be considered representative of the state's official position.

Addressing accusations that Iran operates proxy groups in the region, Iravani stated: "The Islamic Republic of Iran has never had any proxy groups, nor does it consider other countries in the region as entities acting on its behalf. Ansarullah is part of the legitimate government in Sana’a. They operate with full political independence, making their decisions and actions based on their own interests and priorities. Their activities and decisions are in no way linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran."