Saudi Arabia's strategy toward Iran shows signs of divergence: privately urging the US to take a tough stance, while publicly avoiding direct combat.

According to a report by The New York Times on March 16, during the current conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has spoken with US President Donald Trump multiple times and privately urged the US to continue its strong stance against Iran. This position is seen as a continuation of the "cutting off the snake's head" strategy proposed by the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. However, publicly, the Gulf states have generally maintained a cautious stance. During a recent meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Mohammed bin Salman stated that Iran's attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries pose a serious threat to regional security, but the GCC countries will prioritize maintaining regional stability. Despite the conflict having lasted for approximately two weeks, with Iran launching over 2,000 missiles and drones into the Gulf region, the Gulf states have not yet planned a public retaliatory strike against Iran. Multiple sources indicate that countries are concerned that direct military intervention could trigger a larger-scale retaliation and have uncertain implications for the post-war regional landscape. Analysts believe that the Gulf states' current strategy is to support the containment of Iran's influence while trying to avoid direct involvement in the war, demonstrating the complex power struggle in the current Middle East situation.