Saudi Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Kuwait's Emir about criticising Iranian strikes on Wednesday. Pakistani PM contacted him, calling Yemeni Houthi strikes on shipping 'wrong.outrageous.'. In Washington, discussions revolve around a planned US Saudi nuclear deal. The pact is tied to normal ties with Israel under conditions set by former US President Donald Trump. Iranian officials are weighing how the agreement could shift regional power balances. Observers flag that the pair of tracks of defence talks and statecraft has put Riyadh at the heart of Middle Eastern statecraft. Backchannel talks between Saudi and US envoys have continued for weeks, even as blows and counter blows have dominated headlines. A western official said the nuclear file was now closely linked to the Israel file. Around Saudi decision makers, the emphasis has stayed on defence and deterrence, rather than public messaging. In parallel, Iran is reportedly weighing responses if the deal moves forward, with a veteran Iranian official warning of new pressure across the region.