War in Iran: a close friend of Trump threatens Saudi Arabia with “consequences” if it does not become more involved in the conflict

He is one of the biggest supporters of the US intervention in Iran. Senator Lindsey Graham has threatened Saudi Arabia if the Gulf country does not become more involved in the conflict. “There will be consequences,” he promised in a message published on X.

The man who is known to be close to Donald Trump spoke in reaction to the new evacuation of the American embassy in Riyadh due to Iranian attacks on Saudi soil.

“Marginal help”

“Americans are dying and the United States is spending billions to overthrow the Iranian terrorist regime,” he wrote on his X account. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia appears to be issuing statements and acting behind the scenes, which provides only marginal help. It refuses to participate in military operations aimed at putting an end to the reign of terror emanating from Iran. »

For the moment, Riyadh has been content to condemn Iranian attacks and protect its territory by activating its air defense systems. The country allows itself “the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its security, its sovereignty and the safety of its citizens”, explained this Monday in an update, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No mention was made of possible participation in American military operations.

“I hope that all this will change soon (…) Otherwise, there will be consequences,” regretted Lindsey Graham. The Republican senator is known for having pressured Donald Trump for months to authorize strikes against Iran, according to the Wall Street Journal. He first mentioned the idea during a round of golf shortly after the election at the end of 2024.

For its part, Saudi Arabia, a major non-NATO ally, is actively seeking a formal American security guarantee, along the lines of the treaty linking Washington and Japan, which would commit the United States to defending the kingdom against any external attack. In May 2025, the Trump administration touted a $142 billion arms deal with Riyadh as the largest defense cooperation agreement in American history.