Araghchi says he offered Saudi mediation after Houthi strikes
Riyadh confirmed the call took place but made no mention of any mediation offer
Published
Map: The Gulf and Hormuz, marking Riyadh
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he offered to mediate during a Sunday night call with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, according to a statement from his office. The Saudi government confirmed the two ministers spoke but did not refer to any offer of mediation.
The United States said separately it was aware of attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid airport, after Saudi officials confirmed fatalities there.
Araghchi's offer follows a pattern of diplomatic outreach from Tehran, including contacts at the United Nations General Assembly and through Pakistani and Chinese channels urging Iran to restrain the Houthis. Saudi Arabia's decision not to confirm any mediation offer leaves the substance of the call unverified, in line with earlier Iranian gestures, such as a stated wish to end the Yemen war, that have not led to concrete de-escalation.
Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline is already back in operation and exports have been rebounding. A credible Iran-brokered de-escalation with the Houthis would reinforce that resilience rather than reverse it, but for that to matter to oil pricing, Riyadh would need to confirm it.