World · Middle East · 4 hrs ago
Iran offers to help mediate as Saudi-Houthi conflict escalates
Iran has urged Saudi Arabia to pursue talks with Yemen’s Houthi movement instead of relying on military action.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the offer in a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan.
Iran said it was ready to help facilitate dialogue and reach a political settlement.
The Houthis, who are allied with Iran, have claimed attacks on Saudi airports and energy sites.
An attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed at least 12 people and injured hundreds, according to Saudi officials; one account later put the death toll at 13.
The Houthis have warned airlines and travellers against using Saudi airports and airspace, while some international airlines have suspended flights to Riyadh.
The conflict had largely been frozen by a 2022 truce, but fighting has flared again; the sources do not say whether Saudi Arabia will accept Iran’s offer.
Iran urged Saudi Arabia to pursue talks with Yemen’s Houthi group and offered to help facilitate dialogue.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the offer during a telephone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Sunday.
Araghchi warned that a military approach would further complicate the crisis.
The appeal came as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia escalated, including a deadly strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
Iranian officials said Tehran was ready to help achieve a political settlement.
- Who
- Iran, represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, urged Saudi Arabia to pursue talks with the Houthis.
- What
- Iran offered to help facilitate dialogue and warned against a military approach.
- When
- Sunday; the sources do not give the date of the call.
- Where
- The call was between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia. The conflict is in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- Iran said a military approach would complicate the crisis and called for a political solution.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A truce largely froze the conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed internationally recognized government in Yemen.
An attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation.
Araghchi urged Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan to pursue a political solution and offered help facilitating dialogue.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei called for dialogue and said Iran did not want hostilities to continue.
- Iranian foreign minister
- Abbas Araghchi
- Saudi foreign minister
- Faisal bin Farhan
- Riyadh airport attack
- 12 killed and 309 injured, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation
- Later reported death toll
- 13, after an injured Indian national died, according to Reuters
- Conflict truce
- Reached in 2022; it largely froze the conflict
What people are saying
Insisting on a military approach and disregarding a political solution would only further complicate the situation.
We do not want hostilities to continue between two Muslim countries, especially as the region is already facing tensions caused by the United States and Israel.
The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all aviation and navigation companies, experts, staff, workers and travellers against using Saudi airports and airspace.
Sources
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