Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen "cannot be attributed to Iran" and that the escalating tensions in the Bab al-Mandeb strait are “rooted in old disputes and issues" between the two countries.

“We believe that there is no military solution to the issue of Yemen, Bab al-Mandeb, and other regional issues,” he said in an interview with the state-run Iran Daily newspaper.

His comments come as the Houthis have threatened to block the strait amid an escalation in hostilities with Saudi Arabia.