Media: Trump meets Saudi defence minister to discuss Iran, regional security

On July 3, US President Donald Trump met Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the White House to discuss Iran and broader Middle East security, a source said.

The meeting comes amid ongoing efforts to stabilise the region following the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, Caliber.Az reports via Axios.

Riyadh is reportedly seeking to ease regional tensions, and Thursday’s discussions are seen as part of wider diplomatic efforts.

The talks were held just days ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled meeting with Trump at the White House on Monday. The Trump administration is said to be aiming for a landmark peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel in the coming months.

Following his meeting with Trump, Prince Khalid spoke by telephone with Iran’s Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi.

“We discussed developments in the region and the efforts being made to maintain security and stability,” Bin Salman wrote.

The Saudi minister, who is the younger brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also held separate meetings with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Fox News was the first to report on the meeting. The White House has not commented publicly on the discussions.

Meanwhile, Witkoff is expected to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oslo next week, in an attempt to restart nuclear talks.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Araghchi spoke by telephone with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Eide on Thursday, discussing efforts to reduce tensions.

Speaking to reporters the same day, Trump said Iran was ready for dialogue with Washington.

“It is time that they do,” he said.
“I know they want to meet, and if it is necessary, I will do it.”
“The U.S. doesn’t want to hurt Iran,” he added.

By Aghakazim Guliyev