Saudi Arabia on Monday denied a report claiming that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had encouraged President Donald Trump to continue military strikes against Iran, insisting that the kingdom does not support prolonging the conflict in the Middle East.

The denial came after a report published in The New York Times suggested that the Saudi crown prince had pressed Trump to intensify the campaign against Iran.

A Saudi official rejected the claim, stating that Riyadh’s leadership does not seek an extended war in the region. “The leadership of Saudi Arabia does not encourage prolonging the fighting in the Middle East,” the official said. “Riyadh’s foreign policy is characterized by support for strengthening peace and promoting stability — something that stands in complete contrast to the content of the publication in The New York Times regarding extending the conflict.”

The official also emphasized that Saudi Arabia remains committed to defending its national interests and security.

According to the same source, the kingdom “reserves the full right to take steps to safeguard its security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and to deter aggression, in accordance with the UN Charter.”

The New York Times report had claimed that the advice Trump was receiving from the Saudi crown prince was to continue striking Iran forcefully, echoing guidance once repeatedly given by Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah, who died in 2015. At the time, Abdullah had urged Washington to confront Iran decisively and “cut off the head of the snake.”

{Matzav.com}