Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, now in the fourth week of a conflict triggered by joint US–Israel strikes on Iran last month, the role of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is once again under scrutiny, with several reports pointing to his growing influence on the evolving regional dynamics.
In a recent New York Times report, Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS as he is called, has urged US President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran, calling it a “historic opportunity” to reshape the Middle East.
In recent conversations, the Saudi leader conveyed that Washington should press ahead toward dismantling Iran’s hardline government, the report said, citing people briefed on the discussions.
MBS has reportedly argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to Gulf nations and that only a change in leadership in Tehran can eliminate that risk, the report said. The Crown Prince has also pushed for targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure and, in some discussions, even floated the idea of deploying ground forces, the report said, citing sources familiar with US briefings.
Trump calls MBS a ‘warrior’ Saudi Arabia has denied the claims. But, President Donald Trump praised Mohammed bin Salman, his close ally, on Tuesday, after the NYT report. Asked about the Saudi leader reportedly wanting the war continued, Trump praised MBS as a “warrior.”
“He’s a warrior. He’s fighting with us, by the way. Saudi Arabia has been excellent," Trump said
Not the first time This is not the first time the role Saudi Arabia has played in the present conflict has been discussed.
Two days after US-Israeli strikes on Iran, a Washington Post report suggested that Donald Trump’s decision came after Mohammed bin Salman had lobbied him repeatedly to make the move.
The decision followed weeks of lobbying by two key US allies in the Middle East—Israel and Saudi Arabia, the report said.
How has Saudi responded? Saudi Arabia has publicly stuck to a more cautious stance amid these reports of private pressure on the US over Iran strikes. In official statements, the kingdom has reiterated its support for a peaceful resolution, stressing that its priority remains defending civilian infrastructure and halting ongoing attacks.
Saudi officials rejected claims that the crown prince is advocating for an extended war.
“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always supported a peaceful resolution to this conflict, even before it began,” the Saudi government said in a statement, as quoted by the outlet.
Starmer-MBS talks On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East with Mohammed bin Salman, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
Starmer reiterated support for Saudi Arabia during the US-Israeli war against Iran, and updated the Saudi crown prince on the deployment of further UK defensive military equipment, the spokesperson said.
Also Read | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pushes Trump to continue Iran war: Report
"Iran's ongoing attacks, including on critical national infrastructure, were appalling," Starmer said.
Four weeks of conflict The conflict in West Asia is in its fourth week, disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on 28 February.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets across several Gulf countries, causing further disruptions to the waterway and impacting international energy markets as well as global economic stability.
Iran faced widespread criticism from several Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, after it carried out retaliatory strikes on US and Israeli military bases located in several Arab neighbouring nations following the US-Israel attacks on Tehran.
Oil Economy at the heart of it The conflict has already had economic fallout, especially in the Middle East, following Iran's retaliatory disruptions to oil flows, which have affected global energy markets.
Saudi Arabia is believed to be concerned over the risks posed by a destabilised or failed Iranian state. MBS wants to transform Saudi Arabia into a global investment and tourism hub through his ambitious Vision 2030 reform agenda. This will depend on regional stability, analysts say.
The 2019 Iran-linked drone and missile attacks on Saudi Aramco’s oil processing facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais temporarily disrupted 5.7 million barrels per day (mb/d) of crude oil production in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia had recently adopted a diplomatic rapprochement with Iran, but the latest conflict in the region may have prompted the Kingdom to adopt a different approach toward Iran.
Regional officials warn that trust between Gulf states and Iran has “completely shattered,” raising concerns about long-term instability regardless of how the conflict ends, the NYT report said.
A bit of history For decades, both Iran and Saudi Arabia have competed for political and security influence across the Middle East — a contest often characterised by analysts as a “new Cold War.”
He’s a warrior. He’s fighting with us, by the way. Saudi Arabia has been excellent.
As a sign of fragile détente, the power rivalry is based on religious and political identities — Saudi Arabia represents the predominantly Sunni Muslim world and sees itself as a custodian of Sunni Islam, while Iran is a Shia Muslim state.
This sectarian divide has often been invoked by both sides in regional competition. Diplomatic ties were severed from 2016 to 2023 due to incidents like the execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr and attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran.