Saudi Crown Prince Urges Trump to Avoid Broad Military Strikes on Iran Amid Rising Tensions

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, expressing deep concern over the U.S. administration's plans for a potential wide-scale military strike against Iran. According to Axios, citing two senior U.S. officials and another source familiar with the conversation, Trump is considering attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure in response to Iran's recent missile strike on a U.S. base in Jordan and ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. However, no final decision has been made.

The Saudi leadership sought clarifications about the U.S. plan and urged Trump to de-escalate tensions and refrain from launching the strikes. Both the White House and the Saudi embassy in Washington declined to comment on the report. This development follows meetings earlier this week in Washington between Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, as well as Trump, where Riyadh emphasized the importance of calming the situation despite ongoing security cooperation and joint strikes against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.

Simultaneously, other regional countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Pakistan are engaging in diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, who acts as a mediator between Washington and Tehran, as well as with Saudi and Turkish foreign ministers. Araghchi warned that any military action by the U.S. or Israel, or regional cooperation in such an attack, would be met with a "decisive and proportionate" response from Iran’s armed forces.

Qatari mediators also held separate talks with Araghchi, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, and Omani officials on Saturday to seek agreements that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz. While progress was reported, it remains uncertain if these efforts will prevent further escalation in the region.