Saudi Arabia Praises Trump for Prioritizing Diplomacy, Urges Iran to Respond Positively
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Wednesday welcomed US President Donald Trump’s move to hold off an imminent military action against Iran upon a request from the Kingdom.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highly appreciates the US President Donald Trump’s decision to give diplomacy a chance to reach an acceptable agreement to end the war, restore the security and freedom of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its state prior to February 28th, 2026, and address all points of contention in a way that serves the security and stability of the region,” Prince Faisal said in a statement on X.
Trump announced on Monday that he paused a planned attack on Iran following a request by the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, and the leaders of Qatar and the UAE.
The US President said that the Gulf leaders asked him to hold off the planned attack to give the ongoing negotiations a chance to reach an acceptable deal to the Middle East and the US.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highly appreciates the US President Donald Trump's decision to give diplomacy a chance to reach an acceptable agreement to end the war, restore the security and freedom of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its state prior to February 28th,…
— فيصل بن فرحان (@FaisalbinFarhan) May 20, 2026
The Saudi Foreign Minister also expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation to Pakistan for its role in leading mediation efforts. He also called on Iran to act positively to avoid the repercussions of escalation.
“Saudi Arabia looks forward to Iran seizing the opportunity to avoid the dangerous implications of escalation, and urgently responding to the efforts to advance the negotiations leading up to a comprehensive agreement to achieve lasting peace in the region and the world,” Prince Faisal noted.
