Axios: Saudi Arabia Secretly Backed A Possible US Strike On Iran

• 31.01.2026, 13:18

Riyadh's position in the closed-door talks differed sharply from its public statements.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman expressed support for a possible US strike on Iran during a private briefing in Washington, saying that if US President Donald Trump refuses to implement his threats, the Iranian regime will only become stronger. This was reported by Axios, citing four sources who attended the meeting.

According to the publication, the position of the Saudi minister at the closed-door talks differed significantly from Riyadh's public rhetoric. Officially, Saudi Arabia warned against escalation and called for a diplomatic settlement, which, among other things, was one of the reasons for the postponement of the US strike.

On Thursday, Prince Khalid bin Salman held a series of private meetings at the White House with key Trump administration officials, notably Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Haggseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kaine. The main topic of the talks was the possibility of US forceful action against Iran.

Axios sources believe that the change in Riyadh's position is due to the Saudi side's conviction that the decision to strike in Washington has already been effectively made. In such a situation, the kingdom does not want to find itself in opposition to the US action, despite public statements about "respect for Iran's sovereignty."

At the same time, the publication's interlocutors from the Gulf region note that the situation remains a stalemate: a potential US strike carries significant risks of escalation, but refusal to strike could lead to a strengthening of Iran's position.

"At this stage, if there is no strike, it will only give courage to the regime," Axios quoted Prince Khalid bin Salman as saying.