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SAUDI ARABIA PERSPECTIVE
PAKISTAN'S ARMY CHIEF IN IRAN AS US'S RUBIO SAYS 'SLIGHT PROGRESS' IN TALKS
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DOMINANT ANGLE
Riyadh measures every step in Iran-US negotiations against its direct interests: the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, regional energy stability, and the Iranian nuclear file.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Riyadh, May 22, 2026. The Saudi media outlet Asharq Al-Awsat puts a key piece of data at the center of its coverage, a data point that has become the Gordian knot of negotiations: the 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60% that Iran had at the time of the US-Israeli airstrikes on its nuclear facilities in June 2025. According to Iranian sources cited by Reuters, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has issued a directive banning the transfer of this stock outside Iranian borders. Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader's son, has consolidated this position within the establishment. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has framed the question rhetorically: 'Why would Iran move its materials to another country?' This refusal directly clashes with a condition set by Washington: Donald Trump allegedly assured Israel that any peace agreement would include a clause for the export of the enriched uranium stock.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on the sidelines of a NATO ministers' meeting in Sweden, acknowledged 'some progress' while tempering: 'I wouldn't exaggerate it. I wouldn't minimize it either. There's still a lot of work to be done.' He clarified that the US maintains constant contact with Pakistani mediators facilitating exchanges with Tehran. Pakistani Chief of Staff Asim Munir has visited Tehran in this context. Rubio also emphasized that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is among the central points of discussion, alongside the future enrichment of uranium.
This closure of Hormuz — declared by Tehran in retaliation for the February airstrikes — directly disrupts the region. The Strait normally ensures the transit of a fifth of global oil production. The European Union has taken a technical step to extend the scope of its sanctions against Iran, allowing for targeting individuals and entities responsible for the blockade. The European Council has characterized this blockade as 'contrary to international law.' The sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes; EU citizens and businesses will not be able to provide economic resources to listed individuals.
From the Iranian side, officials have set a permanent cessation of hostilities and credible guarantees against future US-Israeli attacks as an absolute prerequisite for any nuclear negotiations. An Iranian source cited by Reuters mentions 'realizable formulas,' including diluting the stock under IAEA supervision.
KEY POINTS
- Iran had 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60% at the time of the June 2025 airstrikes; Khamenei has banned the transfer of this stock abroad
- Rubio declares from Stockholm: 'There have been some progress. We're not there yet' — the US maintains constant contact with Pakistani mediators
- The EU has taken a technical step to extend its sanctions against Iran in response to the Hormuz blockade, deemed 'contrary to international law'
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Nuclear-centric framing: Asharq Al-Awsat focuses its coverage on the issue of enriched uranium and US-Israeli conditions, at the expense of Iranian demands for security guarantees
Preference for Western and Israeli sources: cited positions come mainly from Reuters, US and Israeli officials, with Iranian voices reduced to a spokesperson
Low coverage of Saudi regional role: the media outlet does not explicitly mention Riyadh's position or its own interest in resolving the conflict or reopening Hormuz
SOURCES (1)
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