Saudi and Iranian Foreign Ministers Hold First Reported Call Since Houthi Strikes Intensified

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi about the recent escalation of the regional conflict and efforts to lower tensions, the Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported on Sunday — their first publicly reported contact since the Iran-aligned Houthis intensified strikes on the kingdom.

FAKTA

• Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, October 11, 2026, about the regional escalation and de-escalation efforts, according to the Saudi state news agency.
• It is the first publicly reported contact between the two ministers since Yemen’s Houthis intensified strikes on Saudi Arabia.
• Araghchi said Iran is ready to provide any assistance to facilitate dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, in a post on his Telegram account.
• The Houthis have struck Saudi Arabia several times in the past week, including a Saturday attack on Riyadh’s international airport that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300 — the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade.

A diplomatic turn after a deadly weekend

The call, reported by SPA on Sunday and carried by Reuters, follows a week in which the Houthis struck Saudi Arabia several times. Saturday’s attack on Riyadh’s international airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, making it the deadliest attack in the kingdom in more than a decade.

No detailed readout of the ministers’ conversation has been released beyond the SPA report of the call and Araghchi’s Telegram post.

Iran offers to facilitate dialogue

In his Telegram post, Araghchi said Tehran is ready to provide any assistance to facilitate dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The offer is the first public Iranian diplomatic opening since the Houthi strikes on the kingdom intensified.

Read more in Watan News’ Middle East coverage.