WFP: Aid Cargo for Yemen will be Delivered After Ship Docks

The World Food Programme will deliver a cargo of Iranian aid for Yemen once the ship carrying it reaches Djibouti's port, the U.N agency said on Friday.

Earlier this week Tehran agreed to an international inspection of the vessel, the Iran Shahed, ending a potential showdown with Saudi-led forces who are enforcing inspections on ships entering Yemeni ports, saying they want to stop arms reaching Houthi rebels.

The voyage had threatened to escalate a regional confrontation over Yemen. Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Muslim allies have carried out almost two months of air raids on Houthi fighters it says are armed by Shi'ite power Iran. Tehran dismisses the allegation.

The Iran Shahed was anchored in Djibouti waters not far from the port on Friday, Reuters ship tracking data showed. It was previously bound for the Yemeni Red Sea port of Hodaida.

"As for the ship, it has not docked yet in Djibouti - not before Saturday, I understand," WFP spokeswoman Abeer Etefa said.

"The cargo of the ship will be handed over to WFP in Djibouti and will be transferred to WFP-chartered vessels for shipment to the Yemeni ports of Hodaida and/or (the southern port city of) Aden, where it will be delivered to humanitarian partners on the ground for distribution."

Etefa said the WFP had been told the 2,500 tonne cargo included supplies of rice, flour, canned fish, medicine, water, tents and blankets.

Reporting by Jonathan Saul