Iran and Saudi Arabia hold talks on regional security as conflict continues

Talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia are ongoing as Tehran aims to set up new security plans for the region without foreign military help, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. High-level officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan met Iranian officials in Tehran last week in the first such contact since August. A war involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran started in late February, and fighting has since spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Saudi Talks

Riyadh stated that the recent diplomatic visit aimed to open talks to stop military escalation, as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group grew worse in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks on the kingdom went up as the group moved toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping lane located on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz. Houthi forces have targeted Saudi oil facilities and airports, including the international airport in Riyadh, which disrupted flights and oil exports and led to Saudi airstrikes on Yemen.

Context

Yemen has faced a long civil war since the Houthis pushed the recognized, Saudi-backed government out of the capital city of Sanaa. Regional conflicts in West Asia frequently involve multiple nations and proxy groups fighting over key shipping routes and political control, often impacting global oil supplies and aviation.