Trump pledges to pursue ‘anti-weaponisation’ fund amid Blanche standoff
The US president said he would push ahead with the controversial fund if his attorney general pick is not approved.
President Donald Trump engaged in a conversation with Saudi Arabia's crown prince on Saturday, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation. During the call, Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized Saudi Arabia's desire for de-escalation and expressed concerns regarding potential strikes on Iran, according to people close to the matter.
Mediation efforts from nations like Qatar and Pakistan have been intensified to prevent further escalation, with calls being made to officials from Iran and the United States, including Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, as per three sources familiar with the developments. One of the primary objectives has been to establish an agreement between Iran and Oman to restore commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
CNN had previously reported that the US was planning to launch fresh strikes on Iran this weekend, citing two officials familiar with the plans. Trump stated at a Cabinet meeting on Friday that "we will be hitting them very hard" and noted that at some point, Iran would be forced to say, "We just can't take it anymore." Prior to this, US and Saudi fighter aircraft had conducted strikes on multiple targets in Iraq following drones launched by Iranian-backed militias towards Saudi Arabia.
Written by urgent.news from Egypt Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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