WASHINGTON, United States: A Saudi de-escalation message on Iran reached President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on July 29 after joint US-Saudi strikes in Iraq, Axios reported.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman carried the message from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Riyadh remained ready to defend itself but opposed wider escalation.
Prince Khalid first met Vance before holding a newly added meeting with Trump. A US official and another person familiar with the meeting confirmed that Trump talked to Axios.
One day earlier, US Central Command and the Saudi Armed Forces struck logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq.
CENTCOM said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed more than 30 drone attacks during the previous 72 hours.
Those attacks targeted US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure, according to CENTCOM’s official statement. The command said the attacks on American forces failed.
Read: US Strikes on Iran Hit Dozens of IRGC Targets in Two Hours
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said the kingdom coordinated the strikes with CENTCOM and acted under its right to self-defence. However, Iraq condemned the operation as a violation of its sovereignty.
Prince Khalid described the militia attacks on Saudi infrastructure as a red line. He reportedly stressed that Riyadh’s military response did not represent support for a broader war with Iran.
Prince Khalid contrasted Riyadh’s position with that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Prince Khalid reportedly told Vance that Netanyahu favoured escalation while Saudi Arabia considered de-escalation more productive.
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Separately, the minister reportedly said Saudi Arabia could manage tensions with Yemen’s Houthis without direct US military involvement. Riyadh was also negotiating with the group.
