Saudi Arabia’s Behind-the-Scenes Role in the Iran-Israel Crisis
Saudi Arabia’s Behind-the-Scenes Role in the Iran-Israel Crisis
On Thursday, July 3rd, Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense, held a closed-door meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and senior White House officials to discuss ways to reduce tensions with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the possibility of Tehran returning to nuclear negotiations.
This meeting took place just days before Trump’s scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Fox News was the first to report this news, while the White House had not issued any official statement on the matter by Friday morning.
The Axios website also reported that after meeting with Trump, Khalid bin Salman had a phone conversation with Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces.
The Saudi prince, who is the younger brother of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also held meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Steve Witkoff, the White House’s special envoy for Middle Eastern affairs, during his trip to Washington.
It is said that Mr. Witkoff intends to hold a meeting with Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, in Oslo next week to pave the way for the resumption of nuclear negotiations.
Khalid bin Salman had previously traveled to Tehran on April 17th and, in meetings with high-ranking Iranian officials, delivered a firm message from Trump. The message emphasized that the only way to avoid the risk of conflict with Israel is serious participation in the negotiation process.
At that time, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, concerned about the region’s unstable future, sent his son as a special envoy to Iran to directly convey Washington’s warning message to Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.
Questions About Saudi Arabia’s Role in the Recent Iran-Israel Conflict
According to information published by the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, sources close to regional developments say that during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, played a secret role in intercepting Iranian drones.
Reports indicate that the Saudi Air Force successfully intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones present in the airspace of Iraq and Jordan by deploying combat helicopters.
These unmanned aerial vehicles, likely en route to Israeli territory, were shot down before reaching the country’s borders to protect Saudi Arabia’s air security.
However, Riyadh has not publicly confirmed its participation in this operation and has even officially condemned Israel’s military attacks on Iranian soil.
The Outlook for Saudi-Israeli Relations After the End of the Conflict with Iran
According to a Fox News report, in the secret meeting between Khalid bin Salman and Trump, in addition to issues related to Iran, discussions were held on stopping the war in the Gaza Strip, efforts to free remaining hostages held by Hamas, and the possibility of advancing the regional peace process.
Although normalizing relations with Israel was not the main topic of the talks, sources close to the negotiations have said that discussions were also held on the necessary actions to move in this direction.
According to the same report, Saudi Arabia is finalizing a significant agreement in the security and economic fields with the United States, and evidence suggests that both sides have similar views in various areas.
In light of these developments, reports have emerged indicating interest from some regional countries in joining the Abraham Accords. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt named Syria as one of the countries Trump is considering for joining this agreement.
Additionally, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, quoting Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s National Security Advisor, announced that Syria and Lebanon are considered potential candidates for entering the Abraham Accords.
According to this report, Trump asked Syria’s new President Ahmad Shar’a in May to officially normalize relations with Israel in exchange for lifting sanctions.
While Netanyahu seeks to revive the normalization process with Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, following its rapprochement with Tehran and recent developments in the Gaza Strip, shows little inclination for partnership with Israel.
Israel’s military attacks on Iranian soil have increased Saudi officials’ skepticism towards Tel Aviv’s policies, resulting in Saudi Arabia taking practical steps to enhance bilateral cooperation with Iran.
The Increasing Political Cost of Saudi Arabia’s Closeness to Israel
Hassan Al-Hassan, a senior analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), stated in an interview with the Financial Times that normalizing relations with Israel now carries more domestic and regional costs for Saudi Arabia, both in terms of public opinion and its standing in the Islamic world.
Changing the Face of Iran in Regional Politics
From the perspective of some analysts, today’s Iran is no longer similar to Iran three years ago. Before the events of October 7th, Mohammed bin Salman was trying to smooth the path for normalizing relations with Israel by securing security guarantees from Washington and creating a new order in the region.
However, after the start of the war in Gaza, regular phone calls between Mohammed bin Salman and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as high-level talks between officials of the two countries, have increased, as Saudi Arabia is concerned about inadvertently entering a broader regional conflict.
Gregory Gause, a visiting expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington, also told the Financial Times that today’s Iran is no longer the same as the Iran of the past. He also added that by 2025, Israel has become more of a destabilizing element in the region rather than a stabilizing one.
In such circumstances, Israel may seek a limited security agreement with the new Syrian government led by Ahmad Shar’a, such as a non-aggression pact, instead of pursuing a comprehensive agreement with Saudi Arabia.
The Role of Massive Investments in Regional Political Equations
On the other hand, some political observers believe that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have preferred to gain Washington’s favor by injecting substantial investments rather than rushing to sign a political agreement with the Trump administration.
During Trump’s recent trip to the region in May, these countries promised to make investments worth several trillion dollars, an action that strengthens strategic ties with the U.S. and provides them access to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and modern military equipment.
