Aden: Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi pledged Saturday to fight Iran’s influence in his violence-wracked country, accusing Shiite Houthi militia of importing Tehran’s ideology.

In a televised speech, Hadi said he would ensure that “the Yemeni republic flag will fly on the Marran mountain in (the northern Houthi stronghold) Saada, instead of the Iranian flag.”

“The Iranian twelver (Shiism) pattern that has been agreed upon between the Houthis and those who support them will not be accepted by Yemenis, whether Zaidi (Shiites) or Shafite (Sunnis),” he added.

It was the first televised speech by Hadi since he fled house arrest in militia-held Sanaa last month and resurfaced in Aden which he declared the temporary capital.

Tehran is accused of backing the Shiite militiamen who seized Sanaa in September, but the Houthis insist that Iran does not meddle in Yemeni affairs.

The Houthi-run Saba news agency reported last week that Iran will supply Yemen with crude oil for one year, and also establish a 165-megawatt power plant.