Saudi Arabia has urged Iran to seriously consider a nuclear deal with US President Donald Trump. The warning came from Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman during a secret meeting in Tehran on April 17. He told top Iranian officials that a quick agreement could prevent a possible Israeli military strike. The visit was a direct message from King Salman to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The meeting included Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, top military and diplomatic leaders. Sources said the Saudis warned Iran that Trump has little patience and may not wait long for talks. Trump had just announced direct talks with Iran, while standing beside Israeli PM Netanyahu. The Saudi minister made it clear: a deal is better than risking war.
Prince Khalid also raised concern over the fragile state of the region. Ongoing violence in Gaza and Lebanon, he said, has already caused major instability. He warned that a further conflict could damage Saudi Arabia’s economic plans. He also recalled past attacks, like the 2019 Aramco drone strikes, which Riyadh blamed on Iran and its allies.
In response, Iranian officials showed interest in a deal but remained cautious. They said Trump’s demands kept changing, which made trust difficult. Iran wants sanctions lifted and its right to enrich uranium respected. However, it refuses to give up its nuclear program completely. One official said Iran might pause enrichment if the US releases frozen funds.
The Saudi visit marks a rare high-level contact between the rivals, following a 2023 China-brokered peace deal. Prince Khalid assured Iran that Saudi Arabia would not allow Israeli or US attacks from its land. Still, diplomats say Riyadh and others fear Iran’s unpredictability. They want peace—but don’t fully trust Iran to help keep it.