Saudis confirm crown prince pitched Trump on Iran diplomacy over concerns war could widen

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with US President Donald Trump in which he stressed the importance of talks and avoiding allowing the conflict with Iran to widen, Saudi Arabia’s state news agency says, confirming earlier reports.

The crown prince “emphasized the necessity of prioritizing dialogue to de-escalate tensions and the importance of exerting all possible efforts to achieve a truce that paves the way for diplomatic solutions,” the Saudi Press Agency says.

Bin Salman, who is seen as Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, told Trump that reaching a deal would keep the region “from being drawn into a wider conflict whose repercussions would affect regional and international security and stability.”

According to a source familiar with the call, which occurred before Trump announced that he had called off planned strikes to allow a truce deal to take shape, the Saudis expressed concerns that Iran could respond to a US strike with attacks on the energy infrastructure of the kingdom and other Gulf countries.

A White House official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity, confirmed the leaders spoke Saturday but did not offer any detail.