In a rare diplomatic maneuver, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a stark warning to Iran regime’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last month, urging the regime to take U.S. President Donald Trump’s nuclear proposal seriously or risk the outbreak of war, particularly with Israel.
According to four sources familiar with the matter—two Iranian regime officials and two Gulf government insiders—the message was delivered by the king’s son and Saudi Defense Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, during a secret visit to Tehran on April 17. The confidential letter, personally addressed to Khamenei, expressed Saudi Arabia’s deep concerns over escalating regional instability and the potential for military conflict.
A Confidential Visit Amid Escalating Threats
Prince Khalid’s trip, while reported in the media at the time, did not reveal the sensitive nature of his mission. It marked the first visit to Iran by a senior member of the Saudi royal family in over two decades. The confidential meeting took place at the Iranian regime presidential palace and included high-ranking Iranian regime officials: President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
During the meeting, Prince Khalid—who served as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington during Trump’s first term—warned Iranian regime officials that Trump was impatient with drawn-out negotiations. According to two Arab sources, the Saudi envoy emphasized that the United States was seeking a swift resolution to the nuclear dispute and that the diplomatic window was rapidly closing.
The visit came shortly after Trump unexpectedly announced that direct talks with Tehran were underway, aimed at curbing Iran regime’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump made the statement alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, who was lobbying for a possible military strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.
A Stark Choice: Diplomacy or War
Sources indicated that King Salman’s message urged the Iranian regime leadership to choose diplomacy over confrontation, suggesting that reaching an agreement with Washington would be preferable to facing a potential Israeli military strike. “The region, already destabilized by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, cannot afford another war,” one source quoted Prince Khalid as saying.
Reuters noted that neither Iranian nor Saudi officials responded to requests for comment on the meeting or the message.
A Fragile Detente
Tehran and Riyadh have historically been at odds, locked in a rivalry fueled by sectarian divisions, proxy conflicts, and the 2015 attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. However, with Chinese mediation, diplomatic relations resumed in March 2022 after a years-long freeze.
Despite the thaw, Iran regime’s regional influence has weakened over the past two years. Israeli operations have significantly damaged Tehran’s allies in Gaza and Lebanon, while the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria has further diminished Tehran’s regional posture. At the same time, Western sanctions have taken a severe toll on Iran’s oil-dependent economy.
This new geopolitical context has allowed Saudi Arabia to increase its diplomatic leverage. Mohanad Haj Ali, Deputy Director for Research at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, told Reuters that Saudi Arabia is keen to avoid a regional conflict that could derail its ambitious economic development plans.
Mixed Signals from Tehran
The impact of the Saudi warning on Iran regime’s leadership remains unclear. According to the sources, regime President Pezeshkian responded that the regime was open to a nuclear agreement that could relieve economic pressure by lifting sanctions. However, Iranian regime officials expressed skepticism over the Trump administration’s “unpredictable” approach—at times tolerating limited enrichment, while at other moments demanding a complete dismantling of Iran regime’s nuclear capabilities.
Trump has made it clear that if diplomacy fails, military options are on the table. One Iranian source reported that Pezeshkian reaffirmed Tehran’s willingness to negotiate but made it clear that Iran ‘s regime would not abandon its enrichment program solely to appease the U.S.
Ongoing nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington have so far gone through five rounds, but key issues—especially uranium enrichment—remain unresolved. Reuters reported earlier this week that Iran’s regime might consider temporarily halting enrichment if its frozen assets are released and its right to peaceful nuclear energy is acknowledged. However, this was later denied by Iran’s Foreign Ministry via the semi-official Fars news agency.
Riyadh’s Assurances and Warnings
In addition to the nuclear issue, Prince Khalid reportedly called on Iranian regime officials to review their broader regional policies. He emphasized that changes in Iran regime’s approach—especially its support for regional militias—would be welcomed by Riyadh and could help ease regional tensions.
At the same time, the Saudi defense minister warned Tehran not to provoke the United States through direct actions or via its regional proxies. He underscored that Trump’s potential response would likely be far harsher than those of his predecessors, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
However, Prince Khalid also provided a key reassurance: Saudi Arabia would not allow its territory or airspace to be used for any U.S. or Israeli military operations against Iran.
Conclusion
The secret meeting and the confidential message from King Salman represent a significant moment in Gulf diplomacy. As tensions in the region simmer and the possibility of a major conflict looms, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as both a cautious mediator and a strategic player, urging Iran to seize what may be a narrowing opportunity for a peaceful resolution.
