Saudi MBS spoke with Kuwait's Emir about condemning Iranian attacks on Wednesday. the prime minister of Pakistan contacted him, calling Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping 'wrong.outrageous.'. In Washington, discussions revolve around a planned US-Saudi nuclear agreement. The pact is tied to normal ties with Israel under conditions outlined by former US President Donald Trump. Iranian officials are weighing how the agreement could shift the balance of power across the region. Watchers say that the twin tracks of military talks and diplomacy has put Riyadh at the core of talks across the Gulf. Backchannel talks between the kingdom and American officials have continued through recent weeks, even as blows and counter blows have led the news cycle. A western official said the nuclear file was now woven into the normalisation file. Within Saudi planning rooms, the focus has remained on shielding the kingdom, rather than public posturing. In parallel, Tehran is reportedly weighing responses if the US Saudi pact goes ahead, with a veteran Iranian official warning of further strain across the region.