Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been pressing President Trump to continue military operations against Iran, according to a report that cites people briefed by American officials on the discussions. The New York Times published the account, saying the crown prince portrayed the present U.S.-Israeli campaign as a singular opportunity to reshape the Middle East.
People familiar with the conversations told reporters that, over the past week, Prince Mohammed reiterated in multiple calls and meetings that Washington should press forward with efforts aimed at dismantling Iran's hard-line government. The sources said the Saudi leader framed the situation as one in which the existing Iranian leadership represents a long-term strategic threat to the Gulf region and that only removing that government would eliminate that threat.
The individuals briefed on the exchanges relayed that the crown prince urged the United States not to relent in its campaign. Beyond those brief accounts, the reporting does not provide additional details about specific steps the crown prince recommended or how the requests were received by U.S. officials.
The reporting attributes its account to people with knowledge of conversations between the two leaders and to American officials who were briefed on those discussions. It describes repeated appeals by the Saudi leader but does not offer further corroboration or statements from the principals involved.
Context and implications
The available reporting centers on the crown prince's counsel to the U.S. president and his characterisation of Iran as an enduring threat to Gulf security that, in his view, requires the elimination of the current government. The accounts emphasize the persistence of the Saudi appeal across several interactions during the week in question.
Given the limits of the sourcing in the report, the public record as presented is confined to descriptions from people briefed by U.S. officials. The reporting does not include direct statements from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Trump, or members of their administrations.