US Vice President JD Vance met Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Washington on Wednesday as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate following recent military strikes in Iraq, according to media reports.
CNN reported that the meeting took place in Washington, citing sources familiar with the discussions, while Axios said Prince Khalid delivered a message from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman regarding the Iran conflict and broader regional developments.
According to Axios, the Saudi leadership reiterated its preference for de-escalation with Iran despite backing recent military action against Iran-aligned groups.
Saudi Arabia urges restraint
A source familiar with the meeting told Axios that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wanted to make clear that Saudi Arabia does not seek a broader conflict with Iran.
The source said attacks by Iranian-aligned groups in Iraq remained a "red line" for Riyadh, adding that the recent strikes were intended as defensive measures rather than a sign of support for regional escalation.
According to the report, Prince Khalid also told Vance that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pushing for greater escalation with Iran, while Saudi Arabia believes diplomacy and de-escalation offer a more effective path forward.
Meeting follows Iraq strikes
The talks came a day after US and Saudi forces carried out precision strikes against sites linked to Iranian-aligned groups in Iraq.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation targeted locations allegedly connected to attacks on US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia said the strikes were conducted in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter after attacks launched from Iraqi territory targeted the kingdom's petroleum facilities. Riyadh also warned it would take further military action if Iran-backed groups carried out additional attacks.
Iran condemns operation
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of predominantly Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, said several of its headquarters were struck during the operation.
According to the group, at least 20 members were killed, 32 others were wounded and significant property damage was caused.
Iran condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
