Saudi crown prince, US national security adviser discussed Yemen peace plan

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Updated 29 September 2021
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Saudi crown prince, US national security adviser discussed Yemen peace plan

  • The plan includes a comprehensive cease-fire, allowing ships into Hodeidah port and opening Sanaa airport
  • Kingdom and US stressed importance of Houthis’ participation in good faith in political talks with Yemeni government under UN auspices

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has discussed the Kingdom’s initiative to end the Yemen conflict with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
During a meeting in Riyadh on Monday, the crown prince said the peace plan includes a comprehensive cease-fire under UN supervision, Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The initiative supports a UN proposal to allow ships carrying oil derivatives into Hodeidah port and opening Sanaa international airport to flights to and from selected locations, in addition to the current humanitarian flights.
It includes starting negotiations between the Yemeni parties to reach a political solution to the seven-year conflict, Prince Mohammed added.
Sullivan said the US had an “iron-clad” commitment to support the Kingdom in defending its territory against all threats, including Iranian-backed missile and drone attacks.
He said President Joe Biden endorsed the Saudi goal of advancing a durable political solution and end the Yemeni conflict.
The two countries urged intensive diplomatic engagements in pursuit of that goal and emphasized the importance of the Houthis’ participating in good faith in political talks with the Yemeni government under the auspices of the UN.
They also discussed means to strengthen their strategic relations in all fields and other regional issues.
The meeting was attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, Saudi interior minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, deputy defense minister, and US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking.

Sullivan also met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed on Tuesday, as part of his regional tour, where they discussed the UAE-US strategic ties and ways of developing and strengthening them across various sectors.


Saudi defense chief rallies international support amid escalating Iranian strikes

Updated 12 March 2026
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Saudi defense chief rallies international support amid escalating Iranian strikes

  • Iran unleashes wave of drone strikes on Kingdom’s Eastern Province
  • Missiles fired at Prince Sultan Air Base intercepted, destroyed

RIYADH: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held separate phone calls with his Turkish, Romanian, and South Korean counterparts as Iranian attacks on Gulf facilities continued on Thursday.

Iran escalated strikes on its Gulf neighbors in retaliation for ongoing US-Israeli attacks on Iranian territory. 

After a brief pause Wednesday, drone attacks on Saudi Arabia resumed at 9 p.m., targeting the Eastern Province and the Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter. All the drones were stopped, the Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed.

Missiles aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj were also intercepted and shot down, the ministry added.

In his call with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Prince Khalid reaffirmed commitment to joint security measures and condemned Iranian aggression. 

His conversation with Romanian counterpart Radu Miruta covered regional threats to global stability. 

A call with South Korea’s Ahn Gyu-back similarly focused on condemning Iran’s actions and reviewing the broader regional picture.

The crisis traces back to February 28, when US and Israeli forces struck Iran. Tehran has since targeted Gulf states and US-Israeli assets across the region.

Iran has also declared a blockade on energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas flows — sending commodity prices surging.