Saudi Defence Minister Khaled bin Salman warned Iran against more strikes [Getty]
Saudi Arabia has intensified direct diplomatic contacts with Iran in an effort to contain the escalating war in the Middle East, according to European officials cited by Bloomberg, as regional and international actors attempt to prevent the conflict from widening.
This came as Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman on Saturday warned Iran against further strikes against Saudi Arabia, saying that the kingdom could activate a mutual defence agreement with Pakistan.
The European officials said Saudi authorities have activated informal diplomatic channels with Tehran in recent days to try to de-escalate tensions and prevent the conflict from worsening. Several European and Middle Eastern countries are supporting the effort, they added.
The European officials, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, said the talks have involved both security agencies and diplomats, though it remains unclear whether senior officials have taken part.
According to the same sources, Iran has so far shown little inclination to negotiate with the United States or Israel. Saudi foreign ministry officials did not comment.
However, on Saturday Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran’s temporary leadership council had approved suspending attacks on nearby countries – unless an attack on Iran came from those nations.
“I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” he said.
How far Pezeshkian’s statement reflects a decision to back off by Iran, or why, is not yet clear, with some strikes still reportedly directed at Gulf states on Saturday morning.
The renewed Saudi outreach comes as the conflict continues to disrupt global markets and fuel fears of a broader regional war. Iran has responded to US-Israeli strikes that began on 28 February with missile and drone attacks.”
Pezeshkian said earlier that some countries had begun “mediation efforts to end the war”. However, US President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform that “there will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender”.
Amid continued US and Israeli belligerence, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman on Saturday urged Tehran to show restraint after Iranian missile and drone strikes targeted the kingdom, calling on Iran to act with “wisdom and avoid miscalculations”.
He also signalled that Riyadh could activate a joint defence agreement with Pakistan.
Writing on X after meeting Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, he said: “We discussed the Iranian attacks on the kingdom within the framework of the joint strategic defence agreement between our two brotherly countries, and ways to stop these attacks that do not serve the security and stability of the region, hoping that the Iranian side will show wisdom and the voice of reason and avoid miscalculations.”
The defence pact signed between the two countries last September states that any attack on one country would be considered an attack on the other.
Earlier on Saturday, the Saudi defence ministry said it had “intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base”, which hosts US troops.
Saudi authorities also said they had intercepted three missiles targeting the facility southeast of Riyadh on Friday.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the kingdom had “intercepted and destroyed six drones in the Empty Quarter in an attempted attack on the Shaybah oil field” in the country’s southeast.
Riyadh had earlier confirmed intercepting another drone targeting the major Ras Tanura refinery in eastern Saudi Arabia, which had also been targeted earlier in the week.
