Britain draws up draft UN resolution on Yemen ceasefire

Yemen’s warring sides looked closer to a truce on Monday after Britain led a two-pronged diplomatic charge at the United Nations and in Tehran.

The UK submitted a draft proposal to the UN’s Security Council, which called for a ceasefire in the port city of Hodeida and set a two-week deadline for both the Iran-aligned Houthis and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to remove all barriers to aid.

The proposal would significantly ratchet up the pressure on Yemen's parties to end the three-year war that has killed more than 10,000 people and caused the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Fighting has escalated in recent weeks in Hodeida, which is controlled by the Houthis and is a key point of entry for aid and imports to Yemen - leaving millions on the brink of starvation.

Jeremy Hunt, Foreign Secretary, was in Iran on Monday to call on Tehran to push the Houthis to the negotiating table.

"We are very, very keen to move towards peace in Yemen. That's our number one priority at the moment," Mr Hunt said after meeting Iranian counterpart Javid Zarif.

“The humanitarian nightmare cannot continue,” Mr Zarif said. “All the Yemenis are prepared to come to the negotiating table provided the [Saudi-led] coalition enables them to do so.”

In another promising sign, the Houthi rebels agreed on Sunday to halt all drone and missile strikes.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Houthis' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said the decision was made "after our contacts with the UN envoy" Martin Griffiths.

The statement on Sunday added the Houthis were ready to move towards a wider ceasefire if "the Saudi-led coalition wants peace".

The Houthis' decision to halt missile attacks is by far the biggest concession from the group since it left the southern port city of Aden in 2015.

It could prove to be a turning point in peace efforts as it ends a direct threat to Saudi Arabia.

Several sources have told the Telegraph that Saudi Arabia, whose crown prince Mohammed bin Salman wants to see a military victory in Yemen, signalled it will work to block the resolution or at least have it watered down.

In public at least, his father has issued its support for talks between the two sides.

King Salman, speaking in Riyadh on Monday for his annual state of the union-style address, said he supported UN efforts to end the conflict in Yemen, where the kingdom is backing the internationally-recognised government.

“This is a crucial moment for Yemen,” Mr Griffiths told the UN Security Council. “I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties ... that they are committed to attending these consultations. I believe they are genuine.”

The US and UK is working to capitalise on what it sees as new leverage with Saudi Arabia to end the brutal civil war.

They are attempting to use an opening created by the kingdom's new pariah status after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to pressure their ally to end its bombing campaign in the war-torn country.

Mr Griffiths, whose efforts at kickstarting peace talks collapsed in September, said both the Saudi-backed government and the rebels had shown a renewed commitment to work on a political solution.

No date has yet been set for the talks, although they are expected to convene later this year in Stockholm.