( CNN ) -- Yemeni officials on Tuesday downplayed rumors that next month 's presidential elections in Yemen would be delayed , the same day U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faulted the Yemeni president for failing to fulfill his commitment to leave the country . Any delay in the elections are unacceptable by all standards , senior officials in Vice President Abdurabu Hadi 's office said . The statement comes after Yemen 's foreign minister hinted that presidential elections could be delayed due to the rising tension in the country . `` I am among those who hope that ( the presidential election ) will take place in the planned manner , '' Abubakr al-Qirbi said in an interview on al-Arabiya TV on Tuesday . `` But unfortunately , there are a couple of events relating to security , and if they are not solved ... it will be difficult to run the elections on February 21 . '' Hadi 's office called Qirbi 's comments unnecessary . Yahya al-Arasi , media officer for the vice president , told CNN that elections are essential for Yemen and the vice president has no plans to delay elections under any circumstance . `` It 's unrealistic and unacceptable to delay the presidential elections , '' al-Arasi said . He added , `` If elections are delayed , Yemen will again start from step one , and the unexpected would take place . '' CNN contacted Qirbi 's office and they assured that his comments come independently and not in favor of any certain political faction in the country . Hadi is expected to win the country 's February 21 elections . Qirbi 's announcement also raised fears within opposition groups that President Ali Abdullah Saleh is again using tactics to stay in power . Under the terms of a Gulf Cooperation Council-brokered deal , Saleh has agreed to step down as president on February 21 in exchange for immunity from prosecution . `` We regret that the president has thus far failed to comply with his own commitments to leave the country and to permit elections to go forward , that could give the people a chance to be heard and be represented , '' Secretary of State Clinton told reporters . Speaking in the Ivory Coast , she also addressed why what happens in Yemen is significant to regional stability . `` We remain focused on the threat posed by al Qaeda in Yemen , and we 'll continue to work with our partners there and elsewhere to ensure that al Qaeda does not gain a foothold in the Arabian Peninsula through actions that would undermine the stability of Yemen and the region , '' she said . Meanwhile , Mohammed Abu Lahoum , president of the opposition Justice and Building party said any call for delaying the elections is unwise . He said that delaying the presidential elections would only deepen the Yemeni crisis . `` Delaying the presidential elections is completely against the GCC power transfer and will delay any sort of stability to Yemen , '' said Abu Lahoum . Analysts are worried that Saleh is seeking to delay the elections to buy him more time in power . `` The GCC power transfer signing was delayed six times in 2011 , and Saleh benefited the most from the delays . For Saleh , it 's never really over , '' said Ali Abdul Jabbar , director of the Sana ' a based Dar Ashraf Reaserch Center . Abdul Jabbar said that Saleh was hoping to control Yemen indirectly after stepping down from power , but the tension between him and Hadi made that impossible . `` Saleh will do all that in his power to derail the elections for as long as he can . He has everything to lose , '' he said . The U.N.-backed power transition plan was signed in November and designed after more than a year of political and economic unrest . The election planned for net month will put an end to Saleh 's 33 years in power .
NEW : Clinton says the Yemeni president has `` failed to comply with his own commitments '' The foreign minister had hinted at an election delay . Some accuse President Saleh of delaying power transfer .