Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday. According to government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius, the discussions addressed the attacks carried out by the Houthi rebels, including those targeting the Riyadh airport, as well as the current situation in the Middle East.
Kornelius reported that Merz strongly condemned the terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Iran-backed Houthis. Both Merz and the Crown Prince agreed that these attacks must cease immediately. Furthermore, the sea blockades imposed by Iran and the Houthis in the Strait of Hormuz and at Bab el-Mandab also need to end right away. Iran must also “engage in serious negotiations” and stop destabilizing the region. He must also permanently and without restrictions open the Strait of Hormuz and halt its military nuclear program.
According to Kornelius, the Federal Chancellor and the Crown Prince also discussed various avenues for concluding the conflict and stabilizing energy prices. No further details regarding these agreements were provided.
