TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made several private phone calls to United States President Donald Trump last month, urging an attack on Iran despite publicly preferring diplomacy, U.S. media outlet The Washington Post reported, as quoted by NDTV on Sunday.
The newspaper quoted sources familiar with the matter as saying that, although Saudi Arabia publicly emphasized dialogue and de-escalation, it sent a very different message to Washington in private.
In conversations with U.S. officials, the crown prince reportedly warned that Iran would become a “more dangerous” country if the U.S. did not leverage the substantial military assets it had amassed in the Middle East.
“Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made multiple private phone calls to Trump over the past month advocating a US attack, despite his public support for a diplomatic solution,” the Washington Post reported, as quoted by The Times of Israel, citing four anonymous people familiar with the matter.
Meanwhile, the report noted that Mohammed bin Salman assured Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Saudi Arabia would not permit its airspace or territory to be used for attacks against Iran. This apparent discrepancy between public diplomacy and private strategic advice highlights the Saudi double-play.
In January, MBS stated that he would not permit Saudi Arabia's airspace or territory to be used for an attack on Iran. He stated that Saudi Arabia would respect Iran's sovereignty and urged Washington and Tehran to resolve the issue through dialogue.
While Israel has urged the U.S. to take decisive action against Iran, citing security concerns, the alignment of Israeli and Saudi Arabian strategic interests appears to have increased pressure on Washington during this critical decision-making period.
As detailed in a report by The Washington Post, the developments highlight the layered diplomacy and behind-the-scenes lobbying that shaped the circumstances leading to the U.S. attack. This reflects the high-stakes geopolitical calculations taking place in the region.
The U.S. and Israel launched a joint military strike targeting Iranian military and government sites on Saturday following stalled nuclear talks and claims that Iran had resumed its nuclear activities.
Trump said the "heavy and pinpoint bombing" would continue throughout the week, or for however long is necessary.
Iran Threatens "Most Intense Attack" Against U.S. and Israel
A major attack on Iran, launched by Israel and the United States, killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, raising the risk of regional instability.
Early Sunday, Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the death of the 86-year-old. Hours earlier, President Donald Trump announced his death, saying it gave the Iranian people the "greatest opportunity" to "reclaim" their country.
On Sunday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran threatened to launch the "most intense offensive operation ever" against Israel and U.S. bases.
Read: US Confirms American Troops Killed, Wounded in Iran Clashes
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