A Saudi-Iran reconciliation may not end the war in Yemen just yet

Editor’s Note: A version of this story first appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. The Southern Transitional Council, a United Arab Emirates-backed secessionist group that controls southern parts of Yemen, told CNN in a statement that it won’t be bound by any Saudi-Houthi agreement that touches on matters related to the south “whether administratively, security-wise or in matters related to resource-sharing.” “Riyadh isolated all the relevant stakeholders from these talks,” it said, adding that it supports the negotiations if they are limited to extending the truce and touch only on Saudi security concerns. A UAE official told CNN in a statement that the country “supports efforts by Saudi Arabia to directly engage with the Houthi militias” and appreciates its role in “advancing multilateral efforts to reach a political solution to the crisis in Yemen under the auspices of the United Nations.” The UAE is a member of the Saudi-led coalition but partially withdrew its troops from Yemen in 2019. The Houthis “are now focused on how Saudi Arabia and the UAE can exit the conflict” and bring Yemen to the pre-invasion status-quo, when they took control of the capital, he told CNN. “And that reality is dangerous for the kingdom, which could easily find itself sucked back into the conflict in Yemen.” The UAE official told CNN that “the governance and territorial integrity of Yemen is an issue that must be decided by Yemeni parties themselves,” adding that the UAE is “committed to all international peace efforts that lead to a resumption of the political process.” There is very little trust in the Houthis from the Saudi side, Farea Al Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program, told CNN, adding that the Saudis may be worried about recognizing the Houthis as a major political player in Yemen, only to find them backtracking on any guarantees.