Iran offers to push Houthis and Saudi Arabia toward dialogue
In short
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Baghaei said on 4 October that Iran is willing to push Yemen's Houthis and Saudi Arabia to resolve their conflict through dialogue, saying the answer is not more economic blockade or bombing. Jiemian's report recalled that Houthi-Saudi fighting resumed in mid-July after more than four years of relative calm, and that the Houthis claimed a ballistic missile and drone strike on a Riyadh oil facility on 3 October — a claim the Saudi-led coalition called misleading.
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Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Baghaei said on 4 October that Iran is willing to push Yemen's Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia to resolve their conflict through dialogue, according to reports by CLS, Yicai and Jiemian. Baghaei made the remarks at a press conference held that day, the reports said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Baghaei said the way to solve the Yemen issue was not to intensify an economic blockade or to carry out bombing, the reports said. Iran's position, he said, is that the Houthis and Saudi Arabia should hold talks based on a peace roadmap reached earlier, and that Iran is willing to provide all help to push the process forward. [ 1 , 3 ]
Jiemian's report added background on the conflict: the latest round of fighting between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia began in mid-July, ending more than four years of relative calm. On 13 July the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa international airport, which the group controls, and fired missiles at southern Saudi Arabia in retaliation, the report said. Over the following weeks, it said, the two sides attacked each other repeatedly. [ 3 ]
The Houthis said on 3 October that they had used ballistic missiles and drones to attack an oil facility in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, in response to recent Saudi strikes, according to Jiemian. The Saudi-led coalition said the same day that the Houthi account was misleading and intended to divert attention from the group's losses, Jiemian reported, citing CCTV News. [ 3 ]
The reports did not say whether Saudi Arabia or the Houthis had responded to Iran's offer, and gave no details of the earlier peace roadmap Iran referred to. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
Iran's offer, if taken up, would add a channel to a conflict that restarted in July and has already produced repeated mutual strikes. The disputed claim of an attack on an oil facility in Riyadh points to the risk the fighting poses to Gulf energy infrastructure. The documents report no response from Saudi Arabia or the Houthis to Iran's proposal.
Key facts
- Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Baghaei said on 4 October that Iran is willing to push Yemen's Houthis and Saudi Arabia to resolve their conflict through dialogue. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Baghaei said the way to solve the Yemen issue is not to intensify an economic blockade or to carry out bombing. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Iran said the Houthis and Saudi Arabia should hold talks based on a previously reached peace roadmap, and that Iran is willing to provide all help to push the process forward. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The latest round of Houthi-Saudi fighting began in mid-July, breaking more than four years of relative calm. [ 3 ]
- On 13 July the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa international airport, which they control, and fired missiles at southern Saudi Arabia in retaliation. [ 3 ]
- The Houthis said on 3 October that they attacked an oil facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones in response to recent Saudi strikes. [ 3 ]
- The Saudi-led coalition said the same day that the Houthi account was misleading and aimed at diverting attention from the group's losses. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Baghaei said on 4 October that Iran is willing to push the Houthis and Saudi Arabia to resolve the conflict through dialogue. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Baghaei said the solution is not to intensify an economic blockade or to bomb, and that the two sides should talk on the basis of an earlier peace roadmap. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Saudi Arabia or the Houthis have responded to Iran's offer The documents report the offer but no reaction from either side.
- What the earlier peace roadmap referred to by Iran contains It is mentioned only in passing, without details or a date.
- Damage or casualties from the reported 3 October attack on the Riyadh oil facility The claim comes from the Houthis and is disputed by the Saudi-led coalition; no damage figures are given.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- CLS and Yicai publish reports that Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said Iran is willing to push the Houthis and Saudi Arabia toward dialogue. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Jiemian publishes a report carrying the same statement along with background on the July escalation and the disputed 3 October strike claim. [ 3 ]