Dubai: The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday blacklisted the son of Yemen’s former president and an Al Houthi leader, and effectively imposed an arms embargo on the Iran-allied Al Houthi rebels who rule most of the country.

The council voted 14 in favor. Russia abstained, saying some of its proposals for the resolution, drafted by council member Jordan and Gulf Arab states, were not included.

It demands Al Houthis stop fighting and withdraw from areas they have seized, including Sana’a, the capital. It also expressed concern at “destabilising actions” taken by former President Saleh, “including supporting the Houthis’ actions.”

“The co-sponsors refused to include the requirements insisted upon by Russia addressed to all sides to the conflict to swiftly halt fire and to begin peace talks,” Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the council after the vote.

“We insisted that the arms embargo needs to be comprehensive; it’s well known that Yemen is awash in weapons,” Churkin said. “The adopted resolution should not be used for further escalation of the armed conflict.”

The UN Security Council imposed a global asset freeze and travel ban on Ahmed Saleh, the former head of Yemen’s elite Republican Guard, and on Abdul Malik Al Houthi, a top leader of the Al Houthi group.

On the ground in Yemen, Al Houthis faced setbacks in the south of the country as fighter groups allied with exiled president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi pushed the militia out of the Khor Maksar district, where the international airport and foreign missions are located.

Operations were suspended at the country’s only gas export terminal Tuesday after armed tribesmen drove out soldiers guarding the site, accusing them of links to Al Houthis.

The tribesmen pledged not to interfere in operations at the Balhaf plant, operated by Yemen LNG, in which France’s Total has a stake of almost 40 per cent.

In Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s Federal National Council on Tuesday said it backed the country’s participation in the Storm of Resolve coalition to help reinstate Yemen’s legitimacy.

FNC Speaker Mohammad Ahmad Al Murr said the UAE’s stand was compatible with the international, Arab and Muslim stance that supports legitimacy in Yemen and aims to strengthen security and peace in the Arab and Islamic world.

In Madrid, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Iran has proposed a peace plan for Yemen that calls for a ceasefire followed by talks by all sides that would be mediated by foreigners. Iran is expected to present the plan to the UN on Wednesday.

- with inputs from Reuters