Iran-allied Yemeni Houthi group has agreed to a temporary truce to allow tugboats and rescue vessels to reach the Greek-flagged Sounion oil tanker damaged in the Red Sea, Tehran's mission to the United Nations in New York said, quoted by Reuters, quoted by BTA.< /p>
"Several countries turned to "Ansarallah" (the Houthis) with a request for a temporary ceasefire so that tugboats and rescue ships can enter the incident area," the Iranian mission to the UN said. "Taking humanitarian and environmental considerations into account, "Ansarallah" agreed to the request."
"Sounion" came under fire in an attack last week near the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. The vessel continues to burn in the Red Sea and appears to have begun leaking oil from its hull, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday.
Houthi fighters, who control Yemen's most populous areas, admitted they were behind the attack. The group attacked ships in solidarity with the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants. in the Gaza Strip.
Yemen Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters yesterday that there was no temporary truce and that the group had only agreed the oil tanker "Sounion" to be towed after several international organizations contacted her.
A Pentagon spokesman, Major General Patrick Ryder of the US Air Force, said yesterday that a third country tried to send two tugboats to help rescue the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them. .
Iran's mission to the UN responded as follows yesterday: "The failure to provide assistance and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea is more due to the carelessness of some countries than the fear of a possible attack."