Iran has urged Saudi Arabia to pursue a diplomatic solution to its escalating conflict with the Iran-allied Houthi militia in Yemen, warning that continued military action would worsen the situation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the call 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 said, adding that Iran was ready to provide support to facilitate talks.
The conflict escalated over the weekend, with officials reporting that an attack on Riyadh’s international airport killed more than a dozen people and injured hundreds.
The Houthis claimed responsibility and warned that Saudi airports and airspace were “legitimate targets”. The militia said it had launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones at airports and energy facilities, including sites belonging to state-owned oil giant Aramco.
The Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out more than 120 airstrikes on Sana’a and other Yemeni provinces within 24 hours. The claims could not be independently verified.
The Houthis have fought Yemen’s internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government for more than a decade. A truce reached in 2022 largely halted the fighting, but hostilities have resurfaced amid the wider war involving Iran.
