Saudi Arabia is pressing the European Union to designate Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation, but has yet to overcome European concerns that this could undermine a future peace process, according to six European officials.
The campaign reflects a broader effort by Riyadh to increase international pressure on the group, which has been carrying out near-daily attacks on the kingdom in recent weeks after the resumption of a war that began more than a decade ago. The Houthis carried out a deadly missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid airport in October, and a truce fell apart in July after the Houthis accused Riyadh of bombing Sanaa airport.
European countries worry that listing the Houthis as a terrorist group would close off the limited channels they maintain with the group and potentially undermine any European involvement in a future peace process in Yemen, the officials said. Adding the Houthis to the terrorism designation list would require unanimous support of the EU's 27 member states, and so far support has been limited to only a small number of them.
The Houthis are already subject to EU sanctions, including an arms embargo and asset freezes on 12 commanders. The EU has designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a key backer of the Houthis, as a terrorist organisation, but the bloc has so far stopped short of designating the Houthis themselves, a step already taken by other Western countries including the United States, Australia and Canada.
In a move that was largely symbolic but signalled support within Europe for a tougher stance, the European Parliament last month adopted a resolution calling for the EU to list the Houthis as a terrorist group. After the October missile strike on Riyadh airport, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc stood in solidarity with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's government communications office did not respond to a request for comment, and EU foreign policy spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said the bloc was in regular contact with Riyadh but declined to comment on any specific discussions.
