World

Iran Denies Role in Houthi Strikes, Offers to Mediate

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 17, 2026•3 min read

Iran denied involvement in the Yemeni Houthis' attacks on Saudi Arabia and said it is ready to mediate between Riyadh and the Houthis if both sides request it. The statement by Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday night came in response to Saudi accusations that Tehran is fueling the Houthi escalation.

Key Facts

Iran rejected accusations of involvement in the Yemeni Houthis' attacks on Saudi Arabia and said it is ready to mediate between Riyadh and the Houthis if both sides request it.
The statement was delivered by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday night (16/10/2026), as quoted by Iran's official IRNA news agency.
Baghaei stressed Iran's consistent position: the Saudi-Houthi dispute must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, not foreign intervention or military approaches.
Saudi Arabia a day earlier accused Iran of fueling the escalation by continuing to supply arms and train the Houthis, in a statement by foreign ministry official Dr. Rayed Krimly.
Houthi attacks in the past week targeted Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco's headquarters, prompting Saudi authorities to extend the airport shutdown until Saturday (17/10/2026) at 9:00 p.m. local time.
Iran rejected all claims of involvement in the Yemeni group's operations and said resolving Yemen's issue must respect national sovereignty and end the air and sea blockade.

Iran: Ready to Mediate If Asked

TEHRAN — Iran denied involvement in the Yemeni Houthis' attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed readiness to mediate between Riyadh and the Houthis if both sides request it. The statement was delivered by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday night (16/10/2026), as quoted by Iran's official IRNA news agency.

Baghaei stressed Iran's principled position that the Saudi-Houthi dispute must be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic channels. Iran said it is ready to deploy all its capabilities to help end the conflict peacefully if both sides make the request.

Iran also rejected any accusations of involvement in the Yemeni group's operations. According to Tehran, resolving Yemen's issue demands respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, plus an end to the air and sea blockade.

Riyadh Accuses Tehran of Instigating the Houthis

Saudi foreign ministry official Dr. Rayed Krimly accused Iran of fueling the escalation by continuing to supply weapons and train the Houthis, saying the latest surge of Houthi attacks in this conflict phase is driven by Tehran.

In the past week, the Houthis attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company. Saudi civil aviation authorities extended the airport shutdown until Saturday (17/10/2026) at 9:00 p.m. local time to complete safety procedures.

Several international airlines cancelled or suspended flights to Riyadh. Lufthansa Group cancelled flights until October 16, Air France-KLM extended suspensions through the end of October, and Etihad Airways extended its cancellations.

An Escalation Heating Up

Yemen's conflict, running since 2015, has heated up again after a years-long ceasefire collapsed. The Houthis launched lightning strikes in September and in recent days also fired missiles at the presidential palace complex in Aden, killing two guards.

Regional weapons and security experts interviewed by Reuters assessed the Houthis' strike capabilities as increasingly advanced — from Iranian technological support and self-produced weapons to years of combat experience. Iran officially denies supplying the Houthis with weapons in violation of the UN arms embargo.

In 2023, Iran and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement with China mediating to ease their long-severed relations. But the latest violence could undermine that deal. Iran said rising tensions benefit no one and urged an end to the blockade and military approaches.