Saudi defense minister holds urgent meeting with Vance after Iraq strikes

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman told Vice President Vance at the White House Wednesday that despite the joint U.S.-Saudi strike on pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, Saudi Arabia still favors de-escalation with Iran, a source familiar with the meeting told Axios. Why it matters: The source said the objective of the meeting was to deliver a message from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) about the war with Iran and the situation in the region. Saudi Arabia is one of the key U.S.…