US officials meet Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in Oman talks

American diplomats sat across the table from representatives of a group the US has designated a foreign terrorist organization. The venue was the US Embassy in Muscat, Oman. The agenda: keeping one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes from descending further into chaos. The meeting, held over the weekend of September 13-14, brought together US officials and senior Houthi figures in what amounts to one of the most consequential diplomatic engagements between Washington and Yemen’s Iran-aligned movement in years. Vice President JD Vance publicly acknowledged the talks, framing them as part of a broader push to maintain freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Who was at the table The Houthi delegation included Mohammad Abdulsalam and Abdelmalik al-Ajiri, both sanctioned officials who have served as the movement’s primary diplomatic voices. Oman’s role as host was predictable in the best sense. The Gulf sultanate has long cultivated relationships with all sides in Yemen’s conflict, positioning itself as the region’s quiet mediator. When Washington needs a back channel to actors it cannot publicly embrace, Muscat is typically the first call. The core Houthi commitment coming out of...