RIYADH (Arab News) — Yemen’s Information Minister Muammar Al-Iryani slammed Iran on Wednesday for its support of the Houthis after Tehran admitted its backing of the militia.

The Yemeni official called on the international community to pressure the Iranian regime to stop all forms of support it provides to the Houthi militia and use it as a tool to target Saudi Arabia threaten international shipping lines. Al-Iryani said:

The Iranian regime controls the political and military decision and manages the [Houthi] militia to carry out its agenda and provides it with ballistic missiles, drones, weapons, experts in military industries, mines and improvised explosive devices.

The minister’s comments come shortly after Iran’s Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri admitted early this week that the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) offer support to the Houthi militias in Yemen. “We offer our advisory and intellectual support to Yemen’s national army”, Bagheri told Phoenix Chinese channel during his last visit to Beijing.

However, Bagheri denied claims that Iran had sent missiles and arms to the Houthis.