Mohammed Bin Salman Urges Trump: Is War Against Iran the Key to Middle East Stability?

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Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, has reportedly urged President Donald Trump to sustain military pressure on Iran, according to the New York Times.

On March 24 (local time), the New York Times, citing multiple sources, reported that in conversations with Trump over the past week Bin Salman stressed the need to remove Iran’s hard-line regime. He reportedly views U.S. and Israeli military operations as a “historic opportunity” to reorder the Middle East.

According to the report, Bin Salman told a cautious Trump that “ending the war would be a mistake” and pushed for attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure to weaken Tehran’s government. He is said to have gone further, calling for U.S. ground forces, seizure of critical infrastructure and the eventual ouster of Iran’s leadership.

Trump raised concerns about rising oil prices and the economic fallout, but Bin Salman reportedly argued those effects would be temporary and tried to allay the president’s worries.

Bin Salman has long assessed Iran as a persistent strategic threat in the Gulf and has maintained that regime change is necessary to neutralize it.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likewise views Iran as a long-term threat, but analysts say the two leaders diverge on how the post-conflict order would play out. Israel might treat internal turmoil in Iran as a strategic win, while Saudi officials fear such chaos could empower militias and increase security risks at home.

Riyadh, in particular, is said to be alarmed that the collapse of the Iranian regime could give rise to military factions or militias that would target Saudi oil facilities and other key assets.

Some analysts argue Bin Salman sees the conflict as an opportunity to expand Saudi influence in the region and believes the kingdom could defend itself even if the fighting drags on. Others warn that if hostilities end without decisively weakening Tehran, a more emboldened Iran could leave Saudi Arabia confronting the threat alone.

Saudi Arabia denied the report. Officials told the New York Times that Riyadh supports a peaceful resolution and that its position has not changed.

By Sangmok Lee