Saudi Arabia Urges Iran to Engage with U.S. on Nuclear Talks to Avert Regional Escalation

 In a high-stakes diplomatic overture, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman delivered a stark message to Iranian leadership during a confidential visit to Tehran last month: engage seriously with U.S. President Donald Trump’s offer for nuclear negotiations or risk the consequences of further escalation, including the threat of war with Israel.

According to regional sources familiar with the development, the message was conveyed on April 17 in a closed-door meeting at Iran’s presidential compound. The session was attended by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The visit followed directives from King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who, deeply concerned about growing regional volatility, dispatched his son to personally deliver the warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The diplomatic intervention comes amid mounting fears that the region—still reeling from the October 2023 Hamas-led assault on Israel—could slide into deeper instability should nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington collapse.

Sources with knowledge of the exchange said Prince Khalid emphasized the urgency of the moment, warning that President Trump was unlikely to entertain protracted negotiations. The 37-year-old royal, who previously served as Saudi ambassador to Washington during Trump’s first term, cautioned that the window for diplomacy was narrowing quickly and that a swift resolution was preferable to risking military confrontation—particularly one that could involve Israeli action against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

The initiative followed President Trump’s surprise announcement earlier in April, made alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that direct nuclear talks were underway with Tehran. The aim: to restrict Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

While the diplomatic visit was covered by regional media, the contents of Prince Khalid’s message had not been disclosed publicly until now.

According to two Gulf sources and a foreign diplomat briefed on the talks, the Saudi envoy argued that the region could not withstand further escalation. He urged Iranian leaders to consider the Trump administration’s deal as a strategic opportunity to relieve economic pressure while avoiding conflict.

During the meeting, President Pezeshkian reportedly responded positively to the notion of diplomacy, expressing a desire to alleviate sanctions and stabilize the economy. However, Iranian officials reportedly reiterated their concerns over the unpredictability of the Trump administration’s approach, particularly its shifting stance on uranium enrichment—from initially tolerating limited enrichment to later demanding a full dismantling of Iran’s enrichment program.

While no official statement has been issued by Iran, Saudi Arabia, or Israel in response to Reuters’ inquiries, a White House spokesperson addressed the issue indirectly.

“President Trump has made it clear: make a deal, or face grave consequences. And the whole world is clearly taking him seriously, as they should,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Washington is preparing a “term sheet” that may include a ban on Iranian enrichment—a core sticking point in the stalled negotiations. Citing unnamed senior officials, the report also noted rising concern in Jerusalem that the U.S. might compromise on its enrichment demands in pursuit of a deal.

Despite the current deadlock, sources indicate that five rounds of dialogue have already been held between Tehran and Washington, with more expected in the weeks ahead. However, key issues—chiefly uranium enrichment and verification mechanisms—remain unresolved.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, though it continues to enrich uranium to levels far exceeding civilian needs, restricts international inspections, and expands its ballistic missile capabilities. Meanwhile, Israeli and U.S. officials have warned that Iran is inching closer to nuclear weapons capability.

The diplomatic maneuver by Riyadh represents a rare and bold instance of Saudi Arabia playing an intermediary role between Washington and Tehran. Whether the gesture will catalyze progress remains to be seen—but it signals growing regional consensus against further conflict and a recognition that the stakes have rarely been higher.