G7 foreign ministers call on Iran to stop arming Houthis

G7 foreign ministers, meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, issued a joint statement on Monday calling on Iran to halt its arming and support of Yemen's Houthi movement. The ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States condemned in the strongest terms what they described as continued Houthi strikes in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia, calling the pattern a dangerous escalation that risks undermining international trade and creating global instability. The statement urged the Houthis to immediately cease all military actions and threats against civilian shipping and to return to Yemen's political process in good faith. The G7 intervention comes amid heightened regional tensions over Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes, which have disrupted global commerce and prompted Western naval deployments. Separately, Belgian outlet La Libre Belgique reported that Houthi forces had seized a port in Yemen in an offensive it said was planned and supported by Iran, a development that could further disrupt maritime traffic in the region. The G7 statement did not reference that specific port seizure, and no outlet provided additional operational details on the incident. The coordinated G7 message signals continued Western pressure on Tehran over its regional proxy network, even as diplomatic channels remain strained.

Global Impact

Geopolitically, the G7 statement hardens the Western front against Iran's proxy strategy, likely inviting further sanctions designations and closer coordination with Gulf states, while raising the risk of direct confrontation in the Red Sea. Economically, continued Houthi attacks on shipping keep global trade routes under stress, inflating insurance and freight costs that feed into consumer prices, particularly in Europe and Asia.