Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged diplomacy after attacks linked to the Iran-backed Houthis struck Saudi airports, raising fears of further regional escalation.
Araghchi spoke Monday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud about escalating tensions and possible diplomatic efforts involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
In a Sunday Telegram post, Araghchi warned that emphasizing military action while neglecting political solutions would make the region's crises harder to resolve. He said the conflicts could not be settled militarily.
Araghchi offered Iran's assistance in opening dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, saying Tehran was prepared to support a political settlement.
Notably, Saudi-Iranian diplomatic ties remain active despite their longstanding rivalry. Embassies in both countries continue to operate under a 2023 China-brokered agreement that restored relations following a seven-year rupture.
Saudi Arabia Vows Serious Response
The CEOs of ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. (NYSE:XOM), TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE), Shell Plc (NYSE:SHEL), Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and BP Plc (NYSE:BP) were removed from the WPC Energy Congress agenda released Monday, as Saudi Arabia continued hosting the event despite deadly Houthi-claimed attacks on Riyadh, Reuters reported.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman reassured attendees in Riyadh that the kingdom was safe while acknowledging that security risks remained. He described recent events as serious and said Saudi Arabia's response must be "equally serious."
Houthi Attacks Raise Prospect of US Intervention
The diplomatic outreach followed renewed attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed that one Pakistani resident was killed and 11 people were injured.
The latest incident came after an earlier missile strike that on Saturday killed 12 people and injured more than 300 at the Riyadh airport. The attack followed a series of Houthi strikes targeting Saudi airports, military sites and oil infrastructure, following a major Saudi-led coalition offensive against the rebels.
The attacks have also raised the possibility of direct U.S. involvement. President Donald Trump was considering whether to join Saudi military operations against the Houthis. "We just found out about the recent attack. So we'll make a decision. We move very quickly," the President said.
