Saudi Crown Prince spoke with Kuwait's Emir about rejecting Iranian aggression on Wednesday. the prime minister of Pakistan contacted him, calling Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping '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 stipulated by ex president Donald Trump. Iranian officials are weighing how the agreement could shift regional power balances. Watchers say that the dual track of defence talks and statecraft has put Saudi Arabia at the core of Middle Eastern statecraft. Quiet channels between the kingdom and American officials have continued over recent weeks, even as blows and counter blows have dominated headlines. A western official said the civil nuclear file was now closely linked to the normalisation file. Around Saudi decision makers, the priority has been on defence and deterrence, rather than public messaging. In parallel, Tehran is reportedly reviewing options if the US Saudi pact moves forward, with a veteran Iranian official warning of fresh pressure across the region.