Saudi FM accuses Iran of ‘flagrant attacks’ and condemns Houthis at UNGA

What the report says

Saudi Arabia used its address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York to sharply criticize Iran and the Houthi movement, according to Al Jazeera. In the speech, Saudi officials accused Iran of carrying out what they described as flagrant attacks on civilian and economic targets across the region. The kingdom also urged the international community to condemn Houthi actions that it said threaten shipping in the Red Sea.

The remarks came during the UNGA meetings on 26 September 2026, placing the issue of regional security and maritime disruption on the international agenda. Saudi Arabia’s message highlighted the wider tensions between Gulf states, Iran and the Houthis, a group that has been involved in conflict in Yemen and has periodically disrupted shipping routes in and around the Red Sea.

The Saudi statement matters because the Red Sea is a key global trade corridor, and any threat to shipping can affect commercial traffic well beyond the Middle East. More broadly, the address reflects continued concern among regional governments and world powers about escalation involving Iran-linked actors and the Houthis. Background context: the UN General Assembly is a major annual forum where countries use speeches to set out foreign policy priorities and press for international support.