Saudi MBS spoke with Kuwait's Emir about criticising Iranian strikes on Wednesday. Pakistani PM contacted him, calling Houthi strikes in the Red Sea 'unacceptable.'. In Washington, discussions centre on a planned nuclear pact between Washington and Riyadh. The pact is tied to Saudi recognition of Israel under conditions set by Trump's earlier framework. Iranian officials are assessing how the deal might shift regional power balances. Observers flag that the dual track of defence talks and statecraft has put Saudi Arabia at the heart of Middle Eastern statecraft. Backchannel talks between Saudi and US envoys have continued for weeks, even as attacks and replies have dominated headlines. A western official said the atomic talks was now tightly bound to the Israel file. Around Saudi decision makers, the focus has remained on keeping the kingdom safe, rather than public messaging. In parallel, Tehran is reportedly reviewing options if the nuclear arrangement goes ahead, with an Iranian veteran warning of fresh pressure across the region.