Iran’s Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over the humanitarian implications of ongoing clashes in Yemen’s northern province of Sa’dah.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi cautioned, in an official statement on Tuesday, that a humanitarian crisis may be unfolding in the Arab state.

“The clashes in Yemen over the past month, especially the unrest in the recent days, have claimed the lives of many defenseless civilians, wounded numerous others and displaced thousands of innocent people,” Qashqavi said.

The spokesman reiterated Tehran’s previous stance on the conflict, and pointed out that the Islamic Republic believes the solution to Yemen’s problem lies in a strategy of non-violence.

Qashqavi said Tehran believes that San’a’ can find its way out of the current crisis by adopting an approach that focuses on the rights of the Yemeni people.

Since 2004, Yemeni government forces and Zaidi Shia fighters have been engaged in a periodic war in northern parts of the country.

On August 11, a fresh round of fighting broke out after a year of relative peace, as the Yemeni army launched new attacks on Sa’dah, and Amran provinces.

San’a’ claims that the Houthi, fighters are trying to restore the Zaidi imamate system, which was overthrown in a 1962 coup.

The Houthis, however, say that they are defending their people and fighting for their civil rights. Zaidi Shias, the clear majority in the north, make up around 40 percent of Yemen’s overall population.

According to UN figures, the continued unrest in the past month has displaced around 50,000 more people, bringing the total count to 150,000 since 2004.

This is while international aid groups warn that the deteriorating humanitarian situation in northern Yemen has led to the displacement of another 35,000 people in just the past few days.

Based on figures released by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the unrest has directly affected almost 75,000 children as well.

As Yemen continues its military campaign against the Houthi fighters in the north, US President Barack Obama offers assistance to battle Shia Muslims.

On Sunday, President Ali Abdullah Saleh received a letter from Obama, which pledged economic aid and assistance in fighting terrorism, the Yemeni SABA news agency reported.

“The security of Yemen is vital for the security of the United States,” said Obama in the letter, which was delivered to Saleh by the assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism John Brennan.

In the letter, Obama hailed what he called the partnership between the two countries in fighting terrorism and said that the Shia Muslims organization poses a common threat to everyone.

The US president also said that Washington would adopt a new initiative to help Yemen confront “development challenges and supporting reform efforts,” along with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, donor states and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Obama’s letter came as the Yemeni government forces once again breached a temporary truce with the Zaidi Shia fighters they are fighting with in the north.

Since 2004, the Yemini army and the Zaidi Shia fighters have been engaged in violent periodic clashes, in a war which has claimed the lives of thousands and displaced up to 15,000 civilians- based on UN High Commission for Refugees estimates.

After just over a year of relative peace, a fifth round of fighting erupted on August 11, as the Yemeni government decided to launch a new wave of attacks against the northern provinces of Sa’dah and Amran.

Since then, several attempts have been made to restore truce between the two sides, but the government has renewed the fighting.

The Yemeni government accuses the Houthis of trying to restore a Zaidi imamate system, which was overthrown in a 1962 coup.

The rebels, however, say they are defending their people, which make up around 40 of Yemen’s population, against religious oppression and fighting for their civil rights.

The conflict has also affected other regional states, as San’a has accused Iran, Libya and Iraq of providing the fighters with weapons- allegations that have been denied by all three countries.

The rebels have also claimed that Saudi Arabia is “directly supporting” the government’s military offensive by providing it with different types of weapons, military vehicles and financial aid.

A website for Houthi fighters recently released new footage of what they say proves that the Yemeni army is using Saudi Arabian weapons.

Meanwhile in Iraq, Independent MP Izzat Shabandar lashed out at San’a on Monday, calling its accusations “ridiculous” and charging that Yemen has created a sanctuary for Saddam Hossein loyalists and al-Qaeda leaders.

After Pakistan, Yemen is seen as the primary haven for al-Qaeda militants, who are using the country to organize and train more recruits.

Although there was no mention in the SABA report of Obama making any specific reference to the conflict with Houthi fighters, it did point out that the US president had touched upon the need to fight al-Qaeda.

Last month, Yemeni forces launched anti-terrorist operations in a tribal area known as an al-Qaeda safe haven.

However, after a short while and without reaching any significant results, they ended the operation claiming that it was more imperative to address the situation in the north.

Obama’s offer to help fight Al-Qaeda to Sana’a – which has not demonstrated a strong detrmination to eradicate the terorist group -comes as the latest opinion polls indicate that most Americans are opposed to US “war on terrror” in Afghanistan.

A recent national poll published by the CNN showed that 57 percent of Americans are opposed to the Afghan war, while only 42 percent of respondents approve of Washington’s alleged military campaign against the Taliban and their al-Qaeda allies.

US-led forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to allegedly eradicate militancy and arrest militan leaders .More than 8 years after the invasion, top Taliban and Al-Qaeda leaders arre still at large.