Saudi prince said to push Trump to continue Iran war in recent calls: Report

WASHINGTON

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been pushing US President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran, the New York Times (NYT) reported Tuesday.

Bin Salman sees a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East, the NYT said, citing people briefed by American officials on the conversations.

They said the prince conveyed to Trump that he must press toward the destruction of Iran’s "hard-line" government.

Per the report, the prince also argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government.

Meanwhile, according to the report, Saudi officials rejected the idea that the prince pushed to prolong the war.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always supported a peaceful resolution to this conflict, even before it began,” the Saudi government said in a statement, noting that officials “remain in close contact with the Trump administration and our commitment remains unchanged."

Regional tensions have escalated since Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran that has killed more than 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.