ALBAWABA- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as tensions continue to mount across the Middle East, driven by U.S. military escalation and Israeli threats against Iran.
According to Iranian officials, the call focused on the need to prevent further destabilization and avoid a direct military confrontation.
Pezeshkian told the Saudi Crown Prince that growing regional instability “benefits no one,” emphasizing the need for restraint and cooperation amid rising tensions. He also stressed the importance of dialogue, regional responsibility, and respect for sovereignty, warning that continued escalation could have far-reaching consequences for regional security.
The Saudi Crown Prince, for his part, emphasized Riyadh’s support for de-escalation and political solutions, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s opposition to actions that could ignite a broader war. He stressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to preventing the outbreak of wider conflict.
During the call, Mohammed bin Salman also expressed the Kingdom’s readiness to engage in joint cooperation with Iran aimed at achieving peace and ensuring lasting regional security, highlighting dialogue as the preferred path to de-escalation.
The conversation comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, with Israeli officials repeatedly signaling the possibility of expanded military action.
At the same time, the United States has reinforced its military presence in the region, with additional aircraft carriers and naval assets deployed to the Gulf and eastern Mediterranean, moves Washington describes as deterrence but which Tehran views as provocative.
In this context, the United Arab Emirates issued a firm statement rejecting the use of its territory or airspace for launching military strikes against Iran, signaling growing concern among Gulf states about being drawn into a wider conflict. The UAE reiterated its commitment to neutrality and regional stability through diplomacy rather than force.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is preparing to confront what he described as the “Iranian Shiite axis,” naming Iran, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon, while also warning of a potential clash with what he called an extremist Sunni axis led by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Speaking about Israel’s security posture, Netanyahu said the country possesses “an army second to none” and a new generation ready to fight, stressing Israel’s determination to defend itself against multiple regional threats.
He framed the challenge as extending beyond Israel, posing a broader question to Western allies over whether they are prepared to defend themselves as well amid rising ideological and military confrontations across the Middle East.
