Sen. Chris Murphy meets Saudi Crown Prince MBS, presses for Palestinian state and Iran ceasefire
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday during a trip to the Middle East. Murphy described the meeting on X, citing shared interests in ending the war with Iran and establishing a Palestinian state. The senator also met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi during the same trip.
Single source · Not corroborated
Sen. Chris Murphy arrived in Qatar on Saturday, describing himself as likely the first Democrat to visit the Middle East since the Iran war began. His stated goals were to assess war damage, consult with regional allies on the conflict's impact, and engage actors positioned to help end the fighting.
Murphy met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, posting about the encounter on X. Murphy acknowledged longstanding disagreements with MBS but said dialogue was necessary: "I think it's important for the crown prince to not just hear from the Trump administration, but to hear from people who want a different path for Saudi Arabia in the region and in the world."
The senator cited two specific areas of alignment with Riyadh: a permanent end to the war with Iran and the creation of a Palestinian state. "We are not going to get a permanent end to this war without the Saudis' help. We're not going to get a Palestinian state without the Saudis' help," Murphy said.