German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday the developments in the region during a phone call, according to a statement issued by German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius. The two sides addressed the situation in the Middle East, primarily the Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh, as well as the impact of these developments on energy prices in Germany.
Merz strongly condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by the Iran-backed Houthis, noting that Merz and bin Salman agreed on the necessity of an immediate halt to these attacks. He emphasized the urgent need to end the naval blockade imposed by Iran and the Houthis at the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab immediately.
The German Chancellor added: "Iran must now move towards serious negotiations and stop destabilizing the region. At the same time, it must permanently open the Strait of Hormuz without any restrictions and end its nuclear program for military purposes." The statement indicated that Merz and bin Salman discussed available means to stabilize energy prices and end the conflict in the region.
For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei expressed on Monday his country's readiness to help end tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis through dialogue. This escalation comes amid a continuous military confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis since July last year, which included attacks on civil aviation facilities and energy installations within the Kingdom.
The statement noted that since October 5, five Saudi airports have been subjected to attacks by the Yemeni Houthi group, accused of receiving support from Iran, resulting in the death of 20 people and hundreds of injuries, as well as material damage. Several Arab airlines announced the suspension of flights from or to King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh, or their cancellation, following the Houthi targeting.
The statement clarified that Saudi Arabia has been leading a military coalition since March 2015 to support the Yemeni government in facing the Houthis, who have controlled the capital Sanaa and several provinces since September 2014.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Comments (0)