Iran’s Araghchi called Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss regional escalation, a day after an attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call on Sunday from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with the 2 ministers discussing the recent escalation in the region and efforts to address it, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The call came a day after an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 13 people and injured hundreds. The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government has accused the Houthi group of carrying out the attack and vowed a firm response.
Iran offers to mediate
According to the Saudi Foreign Ministry, the call was initiated by Araghchi. Araghchi later said on Telegram that Iran is ready to help Saudi Arabia and Yemen begin dialogue and reach a political solution. He also argued that the region’s crises cannot be resolved militarily, and that insisting on force while ignoring political solutions would only complicate matters.
Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional escalation +2
It is the first publicly confirmed contact between the 2 foreign ministers since the Iran-backed Houthis stepped up their attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Attacks on the rise
The call comes amid repeated attacks on Saudi airports and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Coalition spokesman Malki said a Houthi ballistic missile was intercepted over Al-Kharj and a drone destroyed in the Eastern Province, describing the airport terminal attack as a war crime under international humanitarian law.
International support
Prince Faisal also took calls from UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, with Bahrain pledging full solidarity with the Kingdom and Syria condemning the Riyadh attack.
UK Defence Minister Wes Streeting also condemned the airport attack, calling it a dangerous escalation and part of a growing Houthi pattern of targeting civilian sites in Saudi Arabia.
