Iran Offers to Mediate Between Its Houthi Allies and Saudi Arabia

Iran has extended an offer to act as a mediator between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militia in Yemen, a move announced after a series of lethal attacks on Saudi territory. The proposal was conveyed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, during a telephone conversation on 11 October. In a statement posted on Araghchi’s Telegram channel, Iran said it was “ready to provide any assistance to help initiate a dialogue” and warned that persisting with a purely military approach would further complicate the regional situation.

The offer follows the deadliest attack on a Persian Gulf nation since the start of the U.S.–Israeli conflict with Iran. On 10 October, Houthi forces struck Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, killing at least 12 people and injuring hundreds more. Saudi-led forces responded with strikes on the Houthi‑controlled capital of Sanaa, targeting its airport, according to local media affiliated with the group.

The Houthi‑run health ministry reported that a child was also killed in a separate strike on a residential building in Sanaa. Saudi officials confirmed that the two foreign ministers had spoken on the day after the Riyadh attack, but they did not acknowledge any Iranian mediation proposal in their public comments.

Iran’s outreach reflects its longstanding support for the Houthi movement, which it has backed politically and militarily for years. By positioning itself as a potential facilitator of talks, Tehran seeks to influence the escalating conflict that has drawn in regional powers and heightened tensions across the Red Sea and Gulf waterways.

No official response from Saudi Arabia regarding the mediation offer has been released, leaving the prospect of diplomatic engagement between the parties uncertain as both sides continue to exchange military actions.