'Historic opportunity' Saudi prince wants war to go on

WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been pushing President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran, arguing that the US-Israeli military campaign presents a "historic opportunity" to remake West Asia, according to people briefed by US officials on the conversations.

In a series of conversations over the last week, Crown Prince Mohammed has conveyed to Trump that he must press towards the destruction of Iran's hard-line government, the people familiar with the conversations said.

The crown prince, the people familiar with the discussions said, has argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Persian Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government.


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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel also views Iran as a long-term threat, but analysts say Israeli officials would probably view a failed Iranian state that is too caught up in internal turmoil to menace Israel as a win, while Saudi Arabia views a failed state in Iran as a grave and direct security threat.

The consequences of the war for Saudi Arabia's economy and national security are enormous. Iranian drone and missile attacks, launched in response to the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran, have already created huge disruptions in the oil market.

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Saudi officials rejected the idea that Crown Prince Mohammed has 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."