Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı
16 June 2026•Update: 16 June 2026
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said Tuesday that he hopes the recently announced agreement between the US and Iran will mark a "turning point" for the region and create momentum for advancing peace efforts in Yemen.
Addressing the UN Security Council, Grundberg echoed UN Secretary-General Antonio's Guterres' message welcoming the deal. "For nearly three years, regional shockwaves have complicated prospects for the Yemeni peace process, deepening mistrust between the parties and deferring willingness for compromise," he said. "I hope this deal marks a turning point for the region, and I will be working with the parties to encourage them to seize this moment to make progress on Yemen.”
Grundberg said the effect of the regional conflict on Yemen has remained limited from a military perspective, despite concerns that tensions could spill over into the country.
"So far, in military terms, the fallout for Yemen of the recent conflict in the region has been relatively contained. Despite threats, we have not seen renewed attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. And the relative calm inside Yemen since the 2022 truce has continued to hold," he said.
But he cautioned that the conflict remains unresolved and Yemenis continue to pay the price of prolonged uncertainty.
Warning about the economic fallout from regional instability, Grundberg said. "The recent regional conflict has increased pressure on the Yemeni economy, due to the country’s import dependence and geopolitical proximity. This is raising the cost of imported food and fuel, amplifying inflationary pressures."
On the security track, he said his office recently convened meetings under the Military Coordination Committee framework with military representatives of the Saudi-led Joint Forces Command, Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, and the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
He said the meetings provided an opportunity to exchange views on security priorities and discuss practical ways to de-escalate tensions and improve communication channels.
"Although the parties have negotiated on other files, it has been several years since they met face-to-face for political talks," he said, urging them to "establish a way forward toward changing that reality - one that will require compromises and good-faith engagement from both parties."
Emphasizing the need to take advantage of the current diplomatic opening, he said that "as long as Yemen’s conflict remains unsettled, the risk of further destabilization persists -- both within the country and, should regional tensions flare again, well beyond it."
"The parties should use this window of regional de-escalation to make progress toward reviving a political process that can sustainably end the conflict in Yemen," he said.
Yemen's humanitarian crisis 'accelerating'
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher told the Council that "Yemen’s humanitarian crisis is accelerating," warning that rising hunger and severe funding shortages are pushing the humanitarian response to its limits.
He warned that food insecurity has sharply increased in recent weeks. "In just one month, the share of people unable to meet basic food needs jumped from half to nearly 60%," he said.
"Today, more than 18 million people, over half the population, are acutely hungry. Without urgent action, this will worsen," he added.
Fletcher also cautioned that reduced access, a smaller humanitarian presence and dwindling resources are undermining relief operations.
Calling on the international community to step up support, Fletcher noted that "the humanitarian appeal is less than 15% funded."
"This is forcing us to scale back operations and leave people behind -- even where we can reach them," he warned.
Fletcher urged the release of detained aid workers, greater financial support and renewed efforts to advance peace, stressing that humanitarian assistance alone cannot resolve Yemen's crisis.
