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WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia 's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , has been pushing President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran, arguing that the US-Israeli military campaign presents a "historic opportunity" to remake West Asia , according to people briefed by US officials on the conversations.In a series of conversations over the last week, Crown Prince Mohammed has conveyed to Trump that he must press towards the destruction of Iran's hard-line government, the people familiar with the conversations said.The crown prince, the people familiar with the discussions said, has argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Persian Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel also views Iran as a long-term threat, but analysts say Israeli officials would probably view a failed Iranian state that is too caught up in internal turmoil to menace Israel as a win, while Saudi Arabia views a failed state in Iran as a grave and direct security threat.The consequences of the war for Saudi Arabia's economy and national security are enormous. Iranian drone and missile attacks, launched in response to the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran, have already created huge disruptions in the oil market.Saudi officials rejected the idea that Crown Prince Mohammed has pushed to prolong the 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, noting that officials "remain in close contact with the Trump administration and our commitment remains unchanged."