Abu Bakr Abdullah al-Qirbi (Arabic: أبو بكر عبد الله القربي) is a Yemeni diplomat who was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen from 2001 to 2014. He later also held the same role in the Houthis' contested cabinet formed in 2016, in spite of his former opposition to the Houthis.[2]
On 13 December 2009, al-Qirbi urged Iran's government to crack down on Iranian groups whom he accused of aiding Houthi rebels in northern Yemen, holding the Iranian government partly to blame. According to al-Qirbi, "religious (Shiite) circles and groups in Iran are providing aid to the Houthis"; however, Iran repeatedly denied such accusations.[4]
Following the anti-government protests in Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh dismissed all members of the Cabinet of Yemen on March 20, 2011. They were to remain as serving members until a new government was formed.[5]
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