Saudi defense minister says Trump ‘should take military action’ against Tehran, according to Axios

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said U.S. President Donald Trump “should take military action” against Iran or risk “strengthening the regime,” during a private meeting in Washington on Friday, according to four people present, cited by Axios.

However, that position was tempered Saturday in comments aired on Fox News, quoting a Gulf source who said Saudi Arabia’s stance remains unchanged and is limited to refusing the use of its airspace or military bases for any potential attack on Iran.

According to Axios, Prince Khalid said Trump should move to military action after weeks of threats, while seeking to limit the risk of regional escalation. “At this point, if it doesn’t happen, it will only strengthen the regime,” he was quoted as saying.

The meeting included about 15 Middle East experts from think tanks and representatives of five Jewish organizations. Two sources said Prince Khalid was relaying the same message he had already delivered to the White House.

A day earlier, the Saudi minister held a lengthy meeting at the White House with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine. A source familiar with the discussions said the main focus was the possibility of a U.S. strike on Iran.

The comments marked a shift in tone, as Saudi Arabia had warned Washington three weeks earlier against regional escalation in the event of strikes on Tehran, a position that helped delay possible U.S. military action.

Officially, Gulf states say they are stepping up efforts to push Washington and Tehran toward diplomacy and to avoid a wider regional conflict that could harm their economic interests. Iran has warned that, in the event of an attack, it could block the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

One Gulf official told Axios that Iran still wanted a deal but that major differences remained over what kind of agreement would be acceptable to both sides. Another Gulf official said the region was “stuck” between two damaging outcomes: a U.S. strike with serious consequences or no strike, which would allow Iran to emerge politically strengthened.

A senior Gulf official quoted by Fox News said Saudi Arabia had clearly informed Washington that its airspace and military bases would not be used for any attack on Iran. The official added that any U.S. plan would not involve Saudi territory and that Riyadh’s position remained consistent: refusing to allow its airspace to be used in wars in which the kingdom is not a party, including operations involving Iran, the Houthis or Israel.

Meanwhile, human rights groups have reported tens of thousands of potential deaths during protests that spread across Iran in late 2025 and escalated dramatically on Jan. 8 with an internet blackout and a violent government crackdown. Efforts to verify casualty figures have been hindered by communication restrictions, although internet access has been partially restored after a three-week shutdown.