TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior human rights activist from Sweden praised a four-point peace plan for Yemen that Iran proposed to the United Nations in 2015 and deplored the UK government, which is the main backer of the Saudi regime, for blocking the plan.

“The main backer of the Saudis and the war is the UK whose power is also rapidly shrinking, losing their wars and with a desperately shaky economy based on speculation,” Ulf Sandmark said in an interview with the Tasnim News Agency.

“The four-point plan of Iran is appropriate and respecting the sovereignty of Yemen,” he said, adding, “It is blocked in the UN as the British are holding the pen for all the UN actions for Yemen.”

Sandmark is a Swedish economist and human rights activist as well as a longtime collaborator of American political figure Lyndon H. LaRouche. Sandmark is a board member of the Schiller Institute in Sweden and the Stockholm Correspondent for the Executive Intelligence Review (EIR). As a child, he lived for three years with his family in Addis Ababa and became active in Third world development issues at the time of his studies at the Stockholm School of Economics. He has written many articles and proposals for development programs, including "The Phoenix program - Discussion points for the reconstruction of Syria" (coauthor Hussein Askary) about how to realize the major potential for recovery in linking up Syria to the New Silk Road. As a chairman for 20 years of the Anti-Drug Coalition in Sweden, he has written about how to dismantle the drug banks and their narco-terrorist bands. He has also delivered speeches to various international conferences, including a two-day conference held in London last year to “support the Yemeni people against the Anglo-American-Saudi imperial war”.

Following is the full text of the interview:

Tasnim: As you know, Monday marked the anniversary of the start of an ongoing devastating war on Yemen mounted by the Saudi-led coalition that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and driven the country to the brink of famine. In the meantime, the Saudi onslaught on Yemen has also led to a cholera epidemic in the Arabian Peninsula country, which is one of the worst ever recorded in the world. What do you think about the heinous crimes committed by the Riyadh regime and its backers, mainly the US? In a recent vote, the US Senate rejected an effort to end support for the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen. The vote coincided with a White House meeting between Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, at which Trump lauded US arms sales to Saudi Arabia. What is your assessment of the Senate vote and the meeting?

Sandmark: The Saudi Coalition war on Yemen was launched to block the 2015 impending agreement among the Yemeni factions to unify around a new government for Yemen. The shining example of an independent republic would be impossible to contain for the artificial kingdoms of the Persian Gulf and also for regime change factions in the West. Yemen is therefore treated with a colonial style vengeance of genocidal war, famine and epidemics to crush a rebellious population.

The main backer of the Saudis and the war is the UK whose power is also rapidly shrinking, losing their wars and with a desperately shaky economy based on speculation. Their recent outburst against Russia exposed them as a barking dog. The meeting between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) served to play up Saudi Arabia as a rich country but is doubtful if the American weapons traders will get paid as the bankrupt British need the Saudi money more than ever.

The vote in the Senate was a tremendous step forward with 44 Senators voting against the US participation in the war on Yemen. This strong faction could succeed in the next period.

Tasnim: The Islamic Republic of Iran has always expressed deep concern over the ongoing tragedy in Yemen and reiterated the need for implementing the four-point peace plan that Tehran submitted to the United Nations in 2015, which urges an end to conflicts, sending humanitarian aid, lifting the unjust blockade of Yemen, and launch of political dialogue with the aim of formation of a national unity government. What do you think about the peace plan and the role that the UN can play in this regard?

Sandmark: The four-point plan of Iran is appropriate and respecting the sovereignty of Yemen. It is blocked in the UN as the British are holding the pen for all the UN actions for Yemen. I think the government of Yemen is doing a skillful job circumventing the British by sending official delegations to other important nations that potentially could oppose the war and support such a peace plan.

Tasnim: How do you assess the political situation in Yemen? What is your prediction about the future of the country's crisis? How can Yemeni groups end the power crisis through dialogue and negotiation?

Sandmark: The revolutionary movement is stepping forward as an institutional leadership for Yemen, strengthening its institutions of the presidency, government, and ministries, recruiting and building their armed forces as a national army institution. This will make it more clear with whom to negotiate both internally and for foreign counterparts.

The more the Western geopoliticians behind the Saudis are weakened, because of the emerging East-West dialogue leading to an outbreak of peace negotiations in other main world theaters, the more the Yemenis will get maneuvering room for their crucial national dialogue to break free from the war.