July 9, 2025
Thank you, Mr. President. And since this is my first time in the Council with you as our president, I want to wish you every success this month. Thank you also, Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher, and Ms. Summer Nasser for your informative briefings. I would also like to welcome the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Yemen.
The Houthis continue to be a destabilizing presence in the region. In recent days, the Houthis have attacked two commercial vessels in the Red Sea leading to the loss of life, injury to sailors, and sinking of a cargo ship, Magic Seas.
The United States condemns these attacks, which interfere with freedom of navigation.
The Houthis also joined Iran in launching drone and missile attacks, continuing as recently as July 5.
Israel has the right to defend itself. And we stand with Israel in its right to self-defense against the Houthis.
The Houthis continue to abuse their fellow Yemenis and to hold their country captive. This includes the unjust detention of a large number of staff from UN, NGOs, and diplomatic missions.
Once again, the United States calls on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all of those detainees.
The recent Houthi attacks in the Red Sea demonstrate the need for continued vigilance from this Council.
We call on Council members to join us and Greece in renewing the request contained in Security Council Resolution 2722 that the Secretary-General inform the Council of Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Similarly, we call on Council Members to ensure the functioning of the Yemen Panel of Experts, a critical tool in providing this Council with information about violations of the arms embargo under Security Council Resolution 2216.
Unfortunately, one member of this Council continues to impede the appointment of the arms expert to this Panel.
The United States calls for the expert’s immediate appointment. This obstructionism empowers Iran’s defiance of the UN’s arms embargo.
Iran enables the Houthis to attack Israel, threaten and blackmail our partners in the Gulf, and to play a role in Iran’s terror networks across the wider Middle East region. This Council must not tolerate Iran’s violations of its resolutions.
Another critical tool for the UN in enforcing Security Council Resolution 2216 is the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM). UNVIM has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations through physical inspection of 100 percent of containerized cargo.
Again, we urge Member States to donate directly to UNVIM, which needs only $11 million per year to operate at full capacity.
However, the UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) has outlived its usefulness. It is mandated to lead a non-functioning committee tasked with overseeing activities that have long been superseded by circumstances. We believe it is time to sunset this mission.
Finally, once again, we remind Council Members that UNVIM clearance does not exonerate vessels from consequences arising from the U.S. designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Knowingly providing material support or resources to an FTO is a violation of U.S. law.
The United States remains committed to depriving the Houthis of the resources that sustain their terrorist actions and network.
I thank you, Mr. President.