Saudi diplomatic push helped avert US-Iran military escalation: US report

Simultaneous reports have revealed that a high-level Saudi intervention played a key role in efforts to de-escalate tensions between the United States and Iran, just before US President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of a planned military strike on Tehran.

According to the US news site Axios, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with Trump, urging him to de-escalate and refrain from launching broad strikes against Iran.

The report noted that Saudi Arabia requested clarification on the US approach toward Iran, while another source said the crown prince called on the US president to pursue calm and not proceed with military action.

Parallel Saudi moves in Washington

In parallel, Saudi diplomatic efforts continued in Washington, where Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman conveyed the Kingdom's position—favoring containment and prioritizing diplomacy—during meetings with the US president and his deputy.

Within hours of these efforts, Trump announced the cancellation of the planned attack on Iran, stating that Washington had received requests from Tehran and several Middle Eastern countries to suspend any military action, following the outline of a preliminary agreement.

Details of the preliminary agreement and timing

Trump explained that the anticipated agreement included the immediate and full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the Iranian nuclear threat, stressing that the decision to cancel the strike was conditional on swift progress toward the deal.

Although the US president did not name the countries that requested the suspension of the attack, the timing of his announcement has drawn renewed attention to the Saudi intervention reported by Axios, which aimed to prevent escalation and give diplomacy a chance.