Iran proposes a "solution" to the crisis between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia... and confirms: "We are not a direct party."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran is ready to play the role of mediator between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi group in Yemen to help end the conflict between them, noting that it “has not received any response from either party.” This offer came on Tuesday, in light of the escalation of the fighting in Yemen following the launch of a military campaign by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government earlier this month under the name “Yemen Dawn” against the Houthis.

Since then, the Iran-backed Houthis have intensified their attacks using missiles and drones against Saudi Arabia. Araqchi said in an interview broadcast Tuesday on the official Al-Iraqiya news channel: “Iran is not a direct party to the ongoing developments in the Red Sea; the situation there is driven by circumstances and reasons of its own,” and added that the Houthi movements in the Bab al-Mandab Strait “came within the framework of their efforts to break the economic blockade imposed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Yemen.”

His statements seem to refer to the recent gains made by the Houthis along the Red Sea coast in Yemen, and their attempts to restrict maritime traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is a vital corridor for global shipping. He continued: "Resolving the Yemeni crisis requires addressing the root causes of the conflict between the two parties, instead of relying solely on military and political pressure."

It is noteworthy that the Houthi group, officially known as "Ansar Allah", is an Iranian-allied movement that emerged in northern Yemen and seized control of the capital, Sana'a, in 2014. The group currently controls Sana'a and large parts of northwestern Yemen.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in 2023, the Houthis have emerged as one of the most powerful non-state actors in the Middle East. They launched missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea, and later became involved in the broader conflict involving Iran and Israel. The United States, Saudi Arabia, and other Western and regional governments have long accused Iran of arming, training, and financing the Houthis, allegations that Tehran has repeatedly denied.

The Council on Foreign Relations stated, in a report issued earlier this year, that “most experts agree that the Houthis were receiving weapons from Iran by 2014, the year they took control of Sanaa.” The Council added, "The military intervention against the Houthis by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Iran's regional rival - may be what prompted Tehran to increase its interest in this group."

The Council's report noted that "Tehran remains the group's main supporter, providing it with weapons, training, intelligence information, and other forms of security assistance."