Iran, Saudi Arabia discuss regional ‘insecurity’ as Yemen fighting flares

The top diplomats of Iran and Saudi Arabia spoke by phone to discuss “growing insecurity” in the region, Tehran says, without mentioning recent fighting in Yemen, where the two countries support opposing sides.

Tehran militarily and financially backs Yemen’s Houthis, who for years have held large parts of the country’s north and yesterday seized the strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha. Riyadh has long supported Yemen’s internationally recognized government, and has been carrying out airstrikes on the Houthis since they began their advance.

Iranian top diplomat Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan last night about “the escalation of tensions and the growing insecurity in the region,” according to Tehran’s foreign ministry.

The summary of the call says the two parties “emphasized the need to continue cooperation and diplomatic efforts to prevent the spread of tensions and reestablish stability.”

Though the ministry did not specifically mention Yemen in the readout, a separate statement addressing the fighting there insists it is “impossible to resolve the Yemeni crisis through… military intervention.”