TEHRAN, July 2 (Xinhua) -- "Yemeni resistance groups have defeated the Saudi-led coalition seeking to take control of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah," Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Monday.

"Today, the ignorant Arab coalition is bogged down in Yemen's quagmire and is facing defeat and scandal," Jafari was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

He hailed what he called the recent achievements by the Yemeni forces in the fight against the UAE forces and Saudi-backed "mercenaries" in the port city.

On Sunday, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said that the UAE welcomes "continuing efforts" by the UN envoy to achieve an "unconditional Houthi rebels withdrawal from Hodeidah."

The U.S.-backed Arab military coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia to back Hadi have been fighting Iranian-backed rebels since March 2015 to restore Yemeni exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have demanded Houthis fully withdraw from Hodeidah and hand over their ballistic missiles.