- Saudi Crown Prince privately urged Trump to strike Iran despite public calls for diplomacy
- US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iranian military sites amid stalled nuclear talks
- Iran retaliated with attacks on UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, escalating Middle East tensions
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made multiple private phone calls to US President Donald Trump last month pushing for a strike on Iran despite favouring diplomacy publicly, the Washington Post reported.
In January the crown prince said that he would not allow his country's airspace or territory to be used for an attack on Iran. He said that Saudi Arabia would respect the sovereignty of Iran and urged Washington and Tehran to resolve issues through dialogue.
The US and Israel launched a joint military strike that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites on Saturday after stalled nuclear talks and claims that Iran had resumed its nuclear activities.
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Trump said the "heavy and pinpoint bombing" was to continue through the week or as long as necessary.
Multiple Arab States Targeted By Iran
After the strikes, Iran launched retaliatory attacks on the UAE's Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Qatar's Doha, and Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, plunging the Middle East into a new conflict.
Smoke and flames rising from Dubai's landmark The Palm archipelago, as Iran carried out retaliatory strikes in the Gulf following US and Israeli attacks.
Photo Credit: AFP
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its rejection and condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant and cowardly Iranian attacks," the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It added that the attacks "cannot be justified under any pretext or in any way, and which came despite the knowledge of the Iranian authorities that the Kingdom has affirmed that will not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran."
According to Arab News, after the Iran strikes, the crown prince spoke to UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Read | Why US, Israel Chose Saturday Morning For Strikes On Iran
He affirmed solidarity with their nations and said, "Saudi Arabia's readiness to mobilise all its resources to assist them in responding to the brutal Iranian attacks they suffered, which undermine the region's security and stability."
Iran's "Most Intense Offensive" Threat To US, Israel
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the United States, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability.
People gather to mourn the death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint US and Israeli strikes, at a square in Tehran on March 1, 2026
Photo Credit: AFP
Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news announced the 86-year-old's death early Sunday. President Donald Trump had announced his death hours earlier, saying it gave Iranians their "greatest chance" to "take back" their country.
On Sunday, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to launch its "most intense offensive operation" ever, targeting Israel and US bases.
The strike marked the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has attacked the country during talks over its nuclear programme. The reported killing of Khamenei after decades in power appeared certain to create a significant leadership vacuum given the absence of a known successor and because the Supreme Leader had the final say on all major policies.
