The Iranian government on Friday called for an end to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen and urged the immediate resumption of negotiations between Riyadh and the Houthi rebels.
The statement marks Tehran’s first response since the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized control of the port city of Mokha.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement carried by the state-run IRIB news agency, called for Saudi Arabia and the Houthis to return to negotiations.
The ministry stressed the need to “respect the independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen.”
Iran’s appeal came after Houthi rebels seized a strategic island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the entrance to the Red Sea, according to two officials cited on Friday.
The takeover further threatens Saudi oil exports through one of the world’s key maritime trade routes.
In response, Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes against the airport in the port city of Mokha, which the Houthis had seized on Thursday.
No casualties or damage from the airstrikes have been reported so far.
The seizure of Mayun Island, a small volcanic and uninhabited territory in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, was confirmed by a senior military official from Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
The latest escalation raises further concerns over security along the strategic maritime route, which is vital for global shipping and energy supplies.
