By Al-Fassel | 2024-01-29

Russia's recent hosting of a Houthi delegation is seen as a tacit endorsement of the Iran-backed group's ongoing attacks on commercial vessels in the international shipping lanes of the Red Sea, observers say.

Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov on Thursday (January 25) received a Houthi delegation to discuss tensions in the Red Sea, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting and ensuing statement did not criticize or implicate the Houthis for their acts of aggression, but instead tried to lay blame on the United States and United Kingdom, which have taken several joint actions against the group.

Since mid-November, the Houthis have attempted to attack and harass more than 30 ships in international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Several rounds of joint US-UK strikes and sanctions have sought to protect international shipping in the Red Sea by hitting the Houthis' weapon infrastructure and censuring the group's military leaders.

These "limited and proportionate" actions came in response to the Houthis' repeated attacks on vessels linked to 55 countries, and were defensive in nature, the United States and United Kingdom have said.

But in a statement released after the meeting with Houthi officials, Russia made it clear it was taking the side of the aggressors, its Iran-linked allies.

"The US and UK missile and bomb strikes on Yemen, which could destabilize the situation on a regional scale, were strongly condemned," Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

Russia's ally Iran, which backs and funds the Houthis, also has thrown its full support behind its proxies in Yemen, with Iranian leader Ali Khamenei lauding the group's "endeavors" in a January 16 speech.

The Houthis "have truly done a great job," Khamenei said in his speech, expressing hope that their attacks on ships in the Red Sea continue "until victory."

In addition to arming the Houthis, Iran has been supplying drones and drone technology to Russia, which the Kremlin has been using in its attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

'The legitimating effect of recognition'

The Moscow meeting comes less than a week after the Houthis announced they are giving special dispensation to the vessels of Russia and China, after repeatedly attacking merchant ships linked to other countries in the Red Sea.

In an interview published by Russia's Izvestia on January 19, a senior Houthi official promised safe passage for Russian and Chinese vessels through the Red Sea.

The Houthis previously said they would continue to attack ships linked to the United States and United Kingdom, which have targeted military sites the group has used in Yemen for its attacks.

"As for all other countries, including Russia and China, their shipping in the region is not threatened," senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said.

For many years, Moscow has opened its doors to various militant and terrorist groups for high-profile visits.

Two months ago, Russia welcomed the Houthis' ally Hamas, whose officials paid several visits to Moscow.

Russia and Iran are longtime supporters of Hamas, which many countries have designated a "terrorist organization."

By steadily supporting the militant group since 2006, "Russia provides Hamas with what terrorists most covet: the legitimating effect of recognition," according to the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Observers say Russia is now doing the same with the Houthis.