US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have discussed the so-called Abraham Accords and the two-state solution to decades-old Israel-Palestine conflict, both leaders told media at the White House.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Prince Mohammed said his country was working to normalise relations with Israel "as soon as possible", but added that any such arrangement should ensure the Palestinians have their own country.
"We want to be part of the Abraham Accords. But we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path of two-state solution," the prince said in the Oval Office alongside Trump.
"We're going to work on that, to be sure that we can prepare the right situation as soon as possible," he added.
President Trump stated that discussions encompassed the Abraham Accords, alongside one- and two-state solutions for the protracted Middle East conflict.
Trump also said that Saudi Arabia agreed to invest $600 billion in the United States with the Saudi Crown Prince promising an increase in investment to $1 trillion.
"I want to thank you because you've agreed to invest $600 billion into the United States, and because he's my friend, he might make it a trillion, but I'm gonna have to work on him," Trump said, referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed.
The crown prince, in response, said the kingdom would increase US investment to $1 trillion.
Trump was asked about a possible conflict of interest for the Trump Organisation to do business with Saudi Arabia while he is president.
Trump responded: "I have nothing to do with the family business. I have left, and I've devoted 100 percent of my energy. What my family does is fine. They do business all over.
"They've done very little with Saudi Arabia actually. I'm sure they could do a lot, and anything they've done has been very good," he added.
Trump also said that he is working to approve the sale of advanced US AI chips to Saudi Arabia, signalling a major shift in export policy and deepening tech ties with the kingdom.
Asked if the F-35 jets going to Saudi Arabia will be same as the ones going to Israel, Trump said: "Yes. As far as I'm concerned, I think they are both at a level where they should get top of the line (F-35s)."
Range of issues
Crown Prince said Saudi Arabia will do its best to reach a deal between Iran and the US. "We will do our best to help reach a deal between the rest of America and Iran," he added.
MBS said Saudi Arabia believes it is good for Iran's future to have a "good deal" that would satisfy the region and the world. "So, we will do our best to see that they happen," he noted.
Trump said Iran wants to "very badly" make a deal.
"I am totally open to it, and we're talking to them, and we start a process. But it would be a nice thing to have a deal with Iran. And we could have done it before the war, but that didn't work out ...but they would very much like, I mean, they may say something else, but they would very much like to have a deal," he added.
MBS also responded to a reporter’s question by stating that he felt “painful” about the effect of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the families of those who were killed, but suggested that it was necessary to “focus on reality.”
He added that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had used Saudi people to commit the terror attacks with the aim of destroying US-Saudi relations.
