Saudi Arabia Denies Lobbying Trump to Attack Iran Amid Regional Tensions

Saudi Arabian authorities have firmly rejected media reports claiming that Riyadh has been quietly lobbying US President Donald Trump to attack Iran.

The prominent American media outlet The Washington Post reported that Saudi Arabia had conducted a discreet lobbying campaign against Trump over recent weeks and months. The denial of the Washington Post report, which cited four sources familiar with the matter, was issued by the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Washington on Monday 2 March 2026.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been consistent in supporting diplomatic efforts to achieve a credible agreement with Iran,” said Saudi Embassy spokesperson Fahad Nazer in a statement via social media platform X.

“We have never in any of our communications with the Trump administration lobbied the President to adopt a different policy,” Nazer emphasised.

Saudi Arabia is among the Gulf states attempting to prevent military confrontation in the Middle East region and has publicly stated that Riyadh will not be part of any potential conflict.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the Kingdom’s de facto ruler, told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a telephone conversation on 26 January that Saudi Arabia would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military strikes against Iran.

However, following major US and Israeli military operations on Saturday 28 February, Iran began launching attacks against neighbouring countries hosting American forces.

The United States, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signed a joint statement on Sunday 1 March evening condemning Iran for targeting their nations and civilians in the region.

The US and Israeli operations against Iran killed senior leadership figures and high-ranking officials from Tehran, including the nation’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been in power for the previous 36 years.