A New York Times report claims Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been privately urging US President Donald Trump to intensify military attacks against Iran to trigger regime collapse, prompting furious condemnations from Tehran and a swift denial from Riyadh.
A report by the New York Times claiming that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been privately lobbying US President Donald Trump to escalate military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran has dominated Farsi-language media. According to the IRGC-affiliated کانال اخبار سپاه پاسداران 🏴, MBS has secretly advised Trump to attack Iran intensely, deliberately undermining Riyadh's public anti-war rhetoric. The ultimate goal of this lobbying, according to popular news channel اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا فوری, is to continue the strikes with greater severity until they result in the outright collapse of the Islamic Republic.
French state-affiliated ار.اف.ای / RFI فارسی provided historical context to the controversy, noting that the Saudi Crown Prince's regular communications with Trump mirror former King Abdullah's famous request to "cut off the head of the snake" in Tehran. RFI noted that this aggressive posture eventually morphed into Israel's prevailing doctrine against the Islamic Republic, particularly following the October 7 Hamas attacks.
The explosive claims have prompted immediate pushback from Saudi Arabia. A Saudi source speaking to Al Arabiya categorically denied the New York Times report regarding MBS's support for continued US and Israeli strikes, an update swiftly circulated by اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا فوری.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have reacted with fury to the alleged betrayal by regional neighbors. Opposition outlet Iran International ایران اینترنشنال highlighted a statement posted on X by Abbas Araghchi, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister. Araghchi forcefully condemned neighboring countries that host US forces and allow their territory to be used for strikes against Iran, stating they have "actively played a role in encouraging and persuading this massacre." Demanding immediate and transparent clarification of their positions, Araghchi claimed that the ongoing joint US and Israeli attacks have killed "hundreds of civilians, including 200 children."
The coverage highlights a stark divide in framing: IRGC-aligned channels focus on Saudi hypocrisy and deceit, while opposition outlets like Iran International amplify the immense civilian casualty claims made by the Iranian government while contextualizing Saudi animosity toward the Islamic Republic. The rapid dissemination of the Saudi denial indicates the high geopolitical stakes of the narrative.