Khamenei calls for political solution to Yemeni war

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for ending the Yemeni war, the media reported.

Iran "has long proposed a plan to end war in Yemen, which, if implemented and ends the war in Yemen in a proper way, can have positive effects on the region," Khamenei said on Sunday in a meeting with the visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Tehran, Xinhua reported citing IRNA news agency.

The Iranian leader was alluding to Iran's "four-point peace plan for Yemen" which was submitted to the UN by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in April 2015.

"It is imperative for the international community to get more effectively involved in ending the senseless aerial attacks and establishing a cease-fire" in Yemen, Zarif wrote to the UN chief upon submitting Iran's plan.

Under the plan, Iran is ready to cooperate with the UN "to facilitate and encourage an immediate end to these senseless bombardments and initiation of a genuine dialogue to find a political solution to this tragic crisis", Press TV reported.

On Sunday, Khamenei said that West Asia is a "very sensitive and critical" region, expressing regret about what he called the "destructive role played by some regional countries" through their support for terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, causing a war and bloodshed in Yemen.

"We have no motivation for being hostile toward these countries, but they are under the influence of America and act against Iran in line with what America desires," he said.

Khamenei said that Iran has never initiated any war, stressing that however, "if someone starts a war against Iran, they will undoubtedly regret it."

For his part, the Pakistani prime minister said that Islamabad attaches importance to the security in the region and will maintain its relations and cooperation with Iran as a crucial partner.

In a joint press conference with Khan following their talks on Sunday, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said that they discussed the establishment of regional stability and sustainable peace, as the Middle East, particularly the Gulf and the Sea of Oman, is a very critical region in the world.

Khan's official visit to Iran will be followed by his visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday as part of Islamabad's efforts to defuse increasing tensions in the Middle East.