Saudi Arabia is moving closer to Iran while distancing itself from the United States, as Riyadh holds direct talks with Tehran on key regional security issues while its crisis with Washington deepens, according to the New York Times.

The talks reportedly focus on some of the most sensitive issues in the region, including control of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s missile program, and Tehran’s support for proxy groups.

The report comes after the Wall Street Journal revealed that Saudi Arabia helped block an American plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. While clashing with Washington over the operation, Riyadh has also been maintaining a direct channel with Iran on the very issues at the center of regional tensions.

President Trump, angered by the Saudi position, spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at least twice within 48 hours. At the same time, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a series of calls with Saudi leadership in an effort to convince Riyadh to change course.

But bin Salman rejected the American pressure, fearing the plan would reignite the war with Iran. As a result, the United States was forced to cancel the operation less than two days after it began.

“They had lost trust in the administration, and believed that if they allowed the United States to use their airspace, Iran would hit them even harder,” said Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

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