Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—UN Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed has reached a “flexible agreement” with the Shi’ite Houthi movement that would see them hold talks with Yemen’s government in order to resolve the crisis in the country, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday.

Houthi leaders met with Ould Cheikh Ahmed in Sana’a on Sunday and are now open to complying with “a large proportion” of the demands set forth in a UN Security Council resolution adopted in April, according to the sources, who preferred to remain anonymous.

The Yemeni government insists that Houthis must comply with the resolution as a precondition for attending any peace talks with the group.

Resolution 2216 stipulates the Houthis withdraw from all areas in the country currently under their control and cease all hostile action against civilians.

The sources said there was great optimism in Sana’a’s political circles regarding “the flexibility the Houthis are now showing, having realized they cannot pass up this historic opportunity to reach a political solution” to the crisis.

A previous round of talks in Geneva between the government and the Houthis, originally scheduled for May 28, was canceled due to the Shi’ite group not agreeing to abide by the UN resolution.

On Saturday, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat the UN envoy was seeking a date for the meetings before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on June 17.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran and Yemen’s ousted former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have occupied large parts of Yemen, including Sana’a, and launched a coup in February, deposing the country’s internationally recognized President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched an aerial campaign against the group on March 26, at Hadi’s request.

The campaign officially ended a month later, but continued Houthi aggression has forced the Saudi-led coalition to continue targeting the group in Yemen.

A grassroots volunteer resistance movement has also sprung up in different parts of the country to counter the Houthi advance, and the Saudi-led coalition is bolstering their efforts on the ground through the airstrikes.

Sources said Ould Cheikh Ahmed is seeking a ceasefire deal in addition to the peace talks. A humanitarian truce was previously offered to the Houthis by the Saudi-led coalition but was not adhered to by the group despite initial acceptance.