Iranian diplomat dies after shootout in Yemen

On Saturday, gunmen had killed Ali Asghar Asadi, an Iranian diplomat, in a drive-by shooting in the Yemeni capital, Sana.  It was stated that the diplomat was driving when he was attacked and suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and stomach.  As a result, Iranian state television announced that Mr. Asadi was “martyred.”  However, other conflicting reports explained how Yemen security officials stated that the diplomat was leaving the Iranian ambassador’s house when the gunmen opened fire and that he died in a hospital (conflicting reports are common after attacks such as these).  The Yemeni government blames the sour tension between Iran and Yemen on Iranian meddling in domestic affairs, but Yemen’s foreign minister “condemned the attack, calling it a terrorist criminal act that targeted bilateral relations.”  He said that the two countries wanted to avoid attempts that would harm relations, and that this past operation targeted these relations.  This is not the first incident in which an Iranian diplomat was attacked in Yemen.  Last July, another Iranian diplomat was kidnapped by gunmen and is thought to remain in captivity by Al Qaeda militants.  “The Yemen branch of Al Qaeda is the world’s most active,” taking advantage of the political turmoil to intensify its presence in the region.

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Amanda Ngo