RIYADH — The Saudi-led coalition fighting to restore legitimacy in Yemen said on Wednesday it had helped get a sick Iranian officer out of the country before he died, rejecting an Iranian accusation that the envoy's evacuation had been delayed.

Iran said on Tuesday Hasan Irlu, Iran's envoy to Houthi-run north Yemen, had died of COVID-19 after his evacuation from Yemen, suggesting Saudi Arabia delayed his departure from Sanaa.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Wednesday, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki said the Joint Forces Command had facilitated Irlu's repatriation and had arranged for an Iraqi medical plane to fly him from Sanaa to Basra in Iraq.

“The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition has followed the defamatory statements of Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran’s Foreign Minister, which were circulated by some media outlets on the coalition’s humanitarian stance in regards to evacuating Hassan Irlou, one of the IRGC officers, from Yemen,” Al-Malki said.

He said the coalition began facilitating Irlu's transfer from Sanaa on humanitarian grounds, in light of mediation from Oman and Iraq, within 48 hours of being informed of his health condition.

The coalition had provided permits and logistical support for the Iraqi air force C-130 medical evacuation plane that took Irlu out, Al-Malki said.

“These defamatory statements against the Kingdom contradict humanitarian values and principles, and do not value the coalition’s noble and humane stance in evacuating the aforementioned person from Sana’a to Basra,” he said.

“These statements by Iranian officials are hardly surprising, and fall in line with the conduct of Iranian diplomacy that smuggled the aforementioned person into Yemen, who then began supporting chaos and fighting in Yemen,” Al-Malki added.

He said it was the second instance of evacuating an Iranian national who was associated with combat operations, following the evacuation of one of the crew of the Iranian military vessel (Saviz) in the Red Sea by the Royal Saudi Air Force.

The man was transported to receive medical attention for a long period of time at a Saudi hospital due to his deteriorating health condition, Al-Malki said adding that he was then medically evacuated to Muscat following mediation by Oman in order to return him to Iran.

Saudi Arabia and the coalition will continue on their path of implementing the well-established humanitarian values and principles, despite the uncivilized, inhumane behavior of Iran, Al-Malki concluded. — SG/SPA