Iran urges Saudi and Yemen to seek dialogue after Houthi attack

Iran is urging Saudi Arabia and Yemen to pursue dialogue after a Houthi strike on a Riyadh airport killed 12 people and wounded 300. The attack prompted US President Donald Trump to reconsider the American role in Yemen and consider renewed strikes on Iran, marking a sharp shift from his comments on Thursday that Washington would wait until after the US midterm elections to resume military action.

During a phone call between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the ministers discussed the recent regional escalations. Araghchi used the conversation to push for diplomatic engagement, posting on Telegram on Sunday that regional crises cannot be solved by force. He stated that "there is no military solution" to the conflict and emphasized that diplomatic talks are the only path forward.

Tehran offered to provide assistance to help launch direct talks between Riyadh and Yemen. The offer comes as violence across the Gulf continues to escalate. Following the airport strike, Iranian forces and allied militias have targeted US military assets and energy infrastructure in the region, including oil fields in Saudi Arabia.

Despite the current tensions, diplomatic channels between the two neighbors remain open. Embassies in both capitals stayed operational under a 2023 Chinese-brokered agreement that ended a seven-year diplomatic rupture. Relations had cooled significantly after late February, when broader regional hostilities expanded.

Security concerns remain high as both sides navigate the fallout. In March 2026, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud warned Tehran that tolerance for attacks on Saudi and Gulf states is limited. He urged Iranian leaders to "recalculate" their strategy to avoid further confrontation.