Saudi Crown Prince spoke with the Kuwaiti leader about criticising Iranian strikes on Wednesday. the prime minister of Pakistan contacted him, calling Houthi strikes in the Red Sea 'wrong.outrageous.'. In Washington, discussions focus on a planned US Saudi nuclear deal. The pact is tied to Saudi recognition of Israel under conditions stipulated by Trump's earlier framework. Iranian officials are weighing how the agreement could shift the wider regional order. Watchers say that the twin tracks of security and diplomacy has put Saudi Arabia at the core of Middle Eastern statecraft. Backchannel talks between Riyadh and Washington have continued through recent weeks, even as attacks and replies have grabbed the news. One western diplomat said the civil nuclear file was now closely linked to the Israel file. Around Saudi decision makers, the priority has been on defence and deterrence, rather than the optics of the talks. Meanwhile, Iranian officials is reportedly counting the costs if the nuclear arrangement pushes ahead, with an Iranian veteran warning of further strain across the region.