Saudi crown prince urges Trump to refrain from new Iran strikes as regional powers push for de-escalation

The call

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman telephoned President Donald Trump on Saturday to raise concerns about the possibility of new U.S. strikes on Iran. The call, first reported by Axios and confirmed by a person familiar with the discussion, came as Trump weighs further military action in the five-month war. The crown prince sought clarity on what action the president was considering and urged him to refrain from escalation. The White House and the Saudi embassy in Washington declined to comment.

The Saudis expressed concern and asked for clarity about the plan of action.

Saudi fears of retaliation

Riyadh's worry centers on Iran's threat to attack energy and infrastructure facilities in Gulf countries if the U.S. targets Iranian energy sites or carries out massive strikes. A source briefed on the call said the kingdom fears that any large-scale U.S. operation could trigger Iranian retaliation against Saudi and other Gulf energy infrastructure. The message echoed a meeting earlier in the week, when Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. That meeting was added to the minister's itinerary after he told Vance that Saudi Arabia favored de-escalation with Iran, despite a joint U.S.-Saudi strike against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq this week.

Regional diplomatic push

The Saudi outreach is part of a broader effort by regional powers to prevent a wider war. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Pakistan are also pressing both sides to step back. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, a key mediator between Washington and Tehran, and with the foreign ministers of Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Any hostile action by the U.S. or Israel -- or participation or cooperation by regional countries in such actions -- would be met with a decisive and proportionate response from Iran's powerful armed forces.

Strait of Hormuz talks

Qatari mediators held separate talks Saturday with Araghchi, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Omani officials, aiming to secure an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has been a flashpoint in the conflict, which has repeatedly paused when Trump opened the door to negotiations only to resume when diplomatic efforts failed.