Saudi Defence Minister warned Iran to accept Trump nuclear deal to avoid Israeli strike: Report
Saudi Arabia's defence minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, visited Tehran last month with a direct and urgent message for Iranian officials: take US President Donald Trump's offer of nuclear negotiations seriously or risk the threat of military escalation from Israel.
According to four Reuters sources familiar with the matter, including two Gulf officials close to Saudi government circles and two Iranian officials, the prince conveyed this warning in a closed-door meeting at Iran's presidential compound on April 17. Present were Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
The 37-year-old prince—who served as Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington during Trump's first term—told Iranian leaders that Trump had little patience for prolonged diplomacy and that the window for reaching an agreement was closing fast, the sources said.
Prince Khalid's visit marked the first by a senior Saudi royal to Iran in over two decades, signalling Riyadh's concern over escalating regional tensions. He warned that failure to reach a deal with the Trump administration could invite Israeli military action, a scenario Saudi Arabia hoped to avert.
The message came shortly after Trump publicly confirmed direct talks with Tehran aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief—an announcement made in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had travelled to Washington seeking support for strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
During the meeting, President Pezeshkian expressed Iran's willingness to negotiate but also voiced skepticism over the Trump administration's 'unpredictable' diplomatic conduct, the Iranian sources said. They noted Iran's desire for sanctions relief but its refusal to dismantle its uranium enrichment program entirely.
So far, five rounds of negotiations have taken place between Washington and Tehran, but hurdles—especially around enrichment limits—remain.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Iran may consider pausing uranium enrichment if the US unfreezes Iranian funds and recognises its right to enrich uranium for civilian use, potentially paving the way for a broader deal. Iran's foreign ministry has publicly denied any pause in enrichment.
Once staunch rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic ties following a China-brokered détente in 2023. But sources say Riyadh and other regional powers remain wary of Iran's long-term intentions, viewing Tehran as an unreliable actor whose missteps could destabilize the region again.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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