Saudi Arabia’s defense minister warned U.S. officials in Washington that failing to confront Iran militarily could strengthen the Islamic Republic.

Prince Khalid bin Salman told a closed-door gathering on Friday that Tehran would be “emboldened” if President Donald Trump refrains from ordering a strike on Iran, according to reporting by Axios. “At this point, if this doesn’t happen, it will only embolden the regime,” the Saudi defense minister was quoted as saying.

A source familiar with the meeting told the Times of Israel the comments were delivered as part of a broader argument that Washington must define clear objectives before taking action. The source said Prince Khalid also stressed that bombing Iran without a coherent plan would “only make things worse.”

The comments suggest a subtle but notable shift from the more cautious posture Saudi officials have publicly adopted as tensions rise between Washington and Tehran. Another Gulf official at a separate Friday meeting warned that while a U.S. strike risked “bad outcomes,” failing to act would leave “Iran coming out of this stronger,” according to Axios.

Behind the scenes, however, Saudi leaders continue to hedge. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Riyadh would not allow U.S. forces to use Saudi airspace for an attack on Iran, and Saudi officials have reiterated their preference for a diplomatic solution. That reluctance, Axios reported, has contributed to Trump’s decision to delay military action.

The Washington briefing attended by Prince Khalid included roughly 15 Middle East experts and representatives from five Jewish organizations, following earlier high-level meetings at the White House. According to Axios, the Saudi defense minister left Washington uncertain about the administration’s ultimate intentions.

Trump, for his part, said Friday that he has given Iran a deadline to reach a deal — without specifying when it expires. “Iran always wants to make a deal,” he said, while questioning whether U.S. and Iranian positions can be reconciled.

The administration has said any agreement with Tehran must include a ban on uranium enrichment, the removal of enriched uranium from Iran, limits on long-range missiles, and a rollback of support for regional proxies — conditions Iran has flatly rejected.

Axios also reported that Prince Khalid pushed back at the meeting against criticism that Saudi Arabia is pivoting away from Israel and toward the Muslim Brotherhood. “He said several times that it was nonsense,” one participant told the outlet. “The more he said it, the less reassuring it sounded.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)