On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Mohammed Abdul Salam, the spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are supported by Tehran, in Muscat. He also held talks with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi to discuss the escalating tensions in the region.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry released photos of the meeting between Araghchi and Abdul Salam, the official representative of the “Ansar Allah” movement (Houthis) and the head of their negotiating delegation regarding the Yemeni conflict. The meeting took place as part of a regional tour by Araghchi amid rising tensions between Israel and the Islamic Republic.
Al-Masirah, a TV channel affiliated with the Houthis, confirmed the meeting but provided no further details.
Araghchi also met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi, where they discussed the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which began a year ago and has intensified in recent weeks. The ministers also addressed the ongoing war between the Israeli military and Hamas, following the latter’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Omani Foreign Ministry issued a statement noting that both ministers emphasized “continuing and supporting efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region through dialogue and peaceful means, using diplomacy as the primary tool for resolving conflicts.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei tweeted that the two ministers “exchanged views on the dangerous regional situation” and stressed “the need to stop the genocide and Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon.”
Oman has long played a mediating role between Iran and Western nations.
Araghchi arrived in Muscat on Monday after visiting Iraq, where he reiterated his country’s readiness for war, although Iran does not seek it. His regional tour, which included stops in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, aimed to discuss achieving a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza and finding ways to contain the conflict.
Earlier this month, Araghchi visited Beirut and Damascus, where he held meetings with Iran’s regional allies, part of the “Resistance Axis” that opposes Israel, led by Tehran.
On October 1, Iran launched around 200 missiles at Israel, stating it was in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon, and a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard officer.
Israel has since vowed to respond, while Tehran warned it would retaliate against any attack on its territory.
