Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged President Trump during a Saturday phone call to reconsider plans for major strikes on Iran and to pursue de‑escalation, Axios reports. US officials say the Saudis sought clarity and warned of an unprecedented regional escalation. Israel has raised its alert level, and regional states including Qatar, the UAE, Turkey and Pakistan have privately urged restraint. Indirect US‑Iran talks showed some progress but did not produce an agreement.
Saudi Crown Prince Urges Trump To Reconsider Large Strikes On Iran, Calls For De‑Escalation
Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman looks on during a meeting with US President Donald Trump (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on November 18, 2025. (photo credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged US President Donald Trump on Saturday to reconsider plans for major military strikes against Iran and to pursue de‑escalation, Axios reported Sunday.
The report, citing two US officials, said one official quoted Saudi interlocutors as saying they were concerned and sought clarity about the proposed plan of action. According to sources familiar with the call, the crown prince warned that large-scale strikes risked triggering an unprecedented regional escalation and asked the US to step back.
"The Saudis expressed concern and asked for clarity about the plan of action," one US official told Axios.
Axios said it contacted both the Saudi Embassy in Washington and the White House; both declined to comment.
US President Donald Trump listens to questions from reporters during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, the presidential retreat, on July 31, 2026 in Camp David, Maryland. (credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The account comes as The Jerusalem Post reported that two Israeli sources told the paper Israel has raised its alert level and increased readiness in case the United States resumes large strikes on Iran.
Other regional states, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Pakistan, also reportedly urged the US president privately to avoid measures that could further inflame tensions.
Diplomatic Contacts
Axios further reported that indirect talks between Washington and Tehran took place on Saturday and produced some limited progress, though no formal agreement had been reached. Officials on both sides continue to weigh options amid concerns about a broader confrontation across the region.
Reporting note: Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
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