Saudi defence minister urges Iran to accept US’ nuclear deal to avert war

Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman delivered a direct message to Iranian leaders in April, urging them to take US President Donald Trump’s nuclear deal proposal seriously to avoid the threat of war with Israel.

Sent by his father, King Salman, the 37-year-old prince met with top Iranian officials—including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—on April 17 in Tehran. Though the visit was publicly reported, the message he carried was not previously disclosed, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"It is better to reach a deal with the US than face the possibility of an Israeli attack if the talks broke down," Prince Khalid warned.

Trump had earlier surprised many by announcing direct negotiations with Tehran, aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Standing beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he stressed urgency in reaching a deal.

Prince Khalid cautioned the Iranians that Trump had "little patience for drawn-out negotiations" and emphasized that the diplomatic window would close quickly.

The prince’s visit, the first by a senior Saudi royal to Iran in over two decades, follows a China-brokered rapprochement in 2023 that restored diplomatic ties between the long-time rivals.

According to sources, Iranian President Pezeshkian responded that Iran "wanted a deal to ease economic pressure through the lifting of Western sanctions." However, Iranian officials also voiced concerns over the Trump administration’s “unpredictable” negotiation style.

A senior Iranian official added, “Iran was not willing to sacrifice its enrichment program just because Trump wanted an agreement.”

US and Iranian negotiators have completed five rounds of talks, but key issues—including uranium enrichment—remain unresolved. Foreign sources earlier reported that Iran may consider pausing enrichment if Washington releases frozen funds and recognizes Tehran’s civilian nuclear rights, though Iran’s foreign ministry denied this.

Prince Khalid reportedly reassured Iran that Saudi Arabia would not allow its territory or airspace to be used by the US or Israel for any military operations. He also warned Tehran against actions that could provoke Washington, stating, “Trump’s response would likely be more strident than his predecessors.”

By Vafa Guliyeva