Last month, Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman made a secret trip to Iran with a strong message from King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Saudi king sent Prince Khalid to speak directly with Iran’s leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
The warning was simple: take U.S. President Donald Trump’s offer for a nuclear deal seriously, or risk an Israeli military strike. Prince Khalid explained that Trump has little patience for long talks. He said the U.S. President wants a deal quickly, and that the chance for diplomacy could close fast. If Iran delays, Prince Khalid warned, it could face an attack from Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The visit marked the first time in over two decades that a senior Saudi royal had traveled to Iran. It came after years of hostility between the two nations, which had often supported opposite sides in regional conflicts. The warning also reflected Saudi Arabia’s fear that a new war in the Middle East would harm its economy and development plans.
A Risky Nuclear Deal on the Table
Prince Khalid’s message focused on the urgent need for a nuclear deal. The talks between Tehran and Washington had already gone through five rounds, but many issues remained, including Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
In the meeting, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Prince Khalid that Iran wants a deal to ease the pressure from Western sanctions. However, he also expressed concern about President Trump’s unpredictable approach to negotiations. Pezeshkian said Iran was not willing to completely give up its uranium enrichment program, even though they were open to making progress.
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Prince Khalid warned that the region was already unstable, with recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, and that another crisis could lead to a dangerous war. He pointed out that Israel had been pressuring the U.S. to take military action, and that Iran’s allies in the region, like Hamas and Hezbollah, had already suffered heavy military losses from Israeli strikes.
The Saudi prince also reminded the Iranian leaders of the 2019 drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, which Riyadh blamed on Iran and the Houthis in Yemen. While Iran denied responsibility, Prince Khalid said Saudi Arabia was still worried about future attacks and urged Iran to avoid actions that could provoke the U.S.
Saudi Promises No Help for Israeli or U.S. Strikes
At the end of the meeting, Prince Khalid gave Iran a key promise: Saudi Arabia would not let its land or airspace be used by either the U.S. or Israel for any military action against Iran. This was an important reassurance for Iran, but it did not erase the warning that delays in reaching a deal could lead to an Israeli attack.
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The Saudi message also highlighted how Saudi Arabia, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to play a bigger role in regional diplomacy. By sending Prince Khalid to Tehran, Riyadh showed it wants to prevent war and protect its future plans.
The message from Prince Khalid made it clear: either Iran accepts President Trump’s nuclear deal offer soon or risks the consequences of an Israeli military strike.
