Iran has urged Saudi Arabia to pursue diplomatic engagement to de-escalate its growing conflict with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia, warning that continued military action could worsen the crisis.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the appeal during a telephone conversation with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
“Insisting on a military approach and disregarding a political solution would only further complicate the situation,” Araghchi told the Saudi minister.
The Iranian government said Tehran was prepared to “provide any form of support” to facilitate negotiations and initiate dialogue aimed at resolving the conflict.
The appeal comes amid a sharp escalation in hostilities over the weekend, including an attack on Riyadh’s international airport that officials said killed more than a dozen people and injured hundreds.
The Houthi militia claimed responsibility for the attack, warning that Saudi airports and airspace were “legitimate targets.”
The group said it had launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones against airports and energy installations, including facilities belonging to Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco.
The Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of conducting more than 120 airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, and other provinces within 24 hours. The allegations could not be independently verified.
The latest escalation adds to the longstanding conflict between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.
The Iran-aligned militia has been fighting the government for more than a decade, with the conflict contributing to a prolonged humanitarian crisis in the country.
A truce reached in 2022 largely halted major fighting, although tensions and sporadic clashes have persisted.
The renewed hostilities are unfolding against the backdrop of a wider regional war involving Iran, raising concerns about further instability across the Middle East.
Tehran’s latest appeal underscores its call for a political solution, even as the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis intensifies.
