Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Donald Trump on Saturday, before the president said he had canceled a planned attack on Iran. That order was this paper's Tuesday beat. Wednesday does not rewrite it. [1]

Axios, cited by Indian Express, said the crown prince raised concern over large strikes on Iranian energy targets and urged de-escalation. A second source said MBS specifically urged Trump not to proceed. The White House and the Saudi embassy did not comment. [1]

Hours later Trump wrote that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked the United States to hold off because "the perimeters of a deal had been agreed to," including a full opening of Hormuz. Axios had already reported the Saudi call. [2]

Iran has denied asking Washington to pause. [1] A cancellation framed as Iranian submission arrived after a Gulf call about oil plants. X still prefers the pleading. The wires still prefer the sequence. That order is still the story.

The Saudi Press Agency confirmed a regional discussion. Prince Khalid bin Salman had already carried Riyadh's preference into meetings with JD Vance earlier in the week. [1][2] Sequence still beats the pleading.

-- SAMUEL CRANE, Washington