The Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (right), pictured here with his Qatari counterpart, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, attend the consultative ministerial meeting in Riyadh, on March 19, 2026. (Credit: Fayez Nureldine/AFP)
BEIRUT — Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call Sunday evening from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, during which the two officials discussed the latest regional developments and efforts to ease tensions, according to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry published on X.
Earlier that day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the suspension of large-scale strikes on Iran. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump overnight Saturday to Sunday, urging him to reconsider plans for a major attack on Iran and to pursue dialogue instead.
Trump said he had halted further strikes which he claimed would have been "the biggest attack since World War II," at the request of regional countries, provided that a deal with Tehran could be reached quickly, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz. He added that the "perimeters" of a deal were there but did not provide further details. On Monday morning, the U.S. president announced that talks with Iran would begin soon, although Tehran has not confirmed the negotiations.
According to the Saudi Foreign Ministry statement, bin Farhan "reaffirmed the kingdom’s commitment to playing a regional role in promoting security and stability in a way that serves the shared interests of the region’s countries and peoples."
