The US plans to hold direct talks with the Shiite rebels in Yemen, the Houthis, in order to help bring an end to the proxy war between a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states and Iran, which backs the insurgency, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
According to the report, President Donald Trump's administration would like Saudi Arabia to take part in the talks, like in Oman.
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The move may create the first major channel of communication between the administration and the rebel group, amid rising tensions between Iran and the West.
"In 2015, a few months after the war in Yemen began, top Obama administration envoys met secretly with Houthi rebels for the first time in Oman to press for a ceasefire and release of Americans held by the Yemeni fighters. US officials met with Houthi leaders last December in Sweden during United Nations-led peace talks," The Journal reported.
But according to the report "there haven't been any significant direct negotiations since President Trump took office in 2017."
The report comes a day after Trump said that he was willing to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and that there was "a very good chance" the two could meet in the coming weeks. Rouhani made similar comments, potentially paving the way for a larger regional thaw in relations.
