Security Council imposes sanctions on Yemen's Houthi leaders

The UN Security Council on Tuesday imposed an arms ban on Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, his deputy Abdullah Yahya al Hakim, military commander Abd al-Khaliq al-Huthi, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his eldest son, Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The council additionally imposed travel bans and asset freezes on al-Houthi and Saleh's son after it had imposed similar bans on the other leaders last November.

The resolution called on warring factions in Yemen, especially the Houthis, to end violence and quickly resume UN-brokered negotiations to facilitate political transition. The Houthis were asked to withdraw from areas they had occupied, including the capital of Sanaa which they ran over in September, and release the defense minister and other politicial prisoners.

The rebels were also asked to relinquish arms seized by the military, failing which, more sanctions would be imposed on the Houthis.

The council also asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to hasten efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Sanaa and to establish "humanitarian pauses" for evacuation and assistance.

The resolution was put to vote by Jordan in the Security Council in New York on Tuesday and was approved by 14 countries in the 15-member council. Russia, an ally of Iran which is accused of supporting the Shiite Houthis, abstained from the vote, arguing for an arms embargo on all warring factions.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif proposed a peace plan for Yemen, saying his country was willing to talk to Saudi Arabia, which is leading air strikes on the Houthis in an attempt to regain control for Yemen's President Hadi.

mg/jr (AP, dpa)