Saudi Arabia Seeks to Avoid Direct War with Iran, MBS Urges Trump to Maintain Gulf Stability

Saudi Arabia is reluctant to be drawn into a direct war between the United States and Iran. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during a telephone conversation with Donald Trump, urged a renewed focus on dialogue rather than further military escalation.

The request was made just hours before the US president halted a fresh round of strikes against Iran. According to the Saudi Press Agency, Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump on Sunday and stressed the need to prioritise dialogue to de-escalate tensions and the importance of making every effort to achieve calm.

MBS also highlighted the necessity of maintaining security and stability in the Gulf and preventing a wider conflict whose repercussions would affect regional and international security and stability, SPA reported, as cited by Aljazeera.

Saudi Arabia had previously struck Houthi targets in Yemen. The armed group has long been a supporter of Iran. The Saudi strikes had fuelled speculation about Riyadh’s potential further involvement in a US war against Iran.

Meanwhile, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning that he would postpone new strikes against Iran, citing the outline of a deal to end the war for five months. This marked a sharp reversal from his statement on Saturday, when he declared the US was combat-ready and poised to fight the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning that attacks would be launched with a level of force not seen since the Second World War.

The shift in tone capped a day of dramatic rhetoric from Washington. Trump said he called off the planned strikes only because Iran and other Middle Eastern governments had urged Washington to show restraint. He insisted that the parameters of a deal had been agreed upon. The agreement, he wrote, would involve the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the Iranian nuclear threat, with Israel joining the US in this commitment.