BREAKING NEWS

Iran says Houthis agree to truce, Houthis deny

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group has agreed to a temporary truce to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach the damaged Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea, Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said on Wednesday.

"Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area," Iran's UN mission said. "In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request."

Yemen's Houthis spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed on allowing the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group.