Senate Graham turns focus to possible ‘historic’ Saudi-Israeli ties after Iran strikes by Ashleigh Fields - 03/01/26 12:31 PM ET by Ashleigh Fields - 03/01/26 12:31 PM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday said he will seek to focus on normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel after the strikes in Iran over the weekend. “Now, what am I going to do next? When this regime can no longer threaten the region, I’m going to build on what I did with President Biden, to try to get Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize,” Graham said during an appearance on NBC’s “ Meet the Press ” about the U.S. and Israel’s joint attacks, which killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders in Iran. “If the fall of this regime would lead to normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, the center of gravity for Islam is Saudi Arabia, the one and only Jewish state,” he added. “If they could make peace and have a normal relationship because this regime fell, it would be historic.” Saudi Arabia and Israel have never had formal diplomatic relations, with Riyadh pushing for a Palestinian state. In 2023, the Biden administration said it was on the brink of achieving Israeli-Saudi ties under President Trump’s Abraham Accords, but talks fell apart after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack and Israel’s subsequent war against Hamas.  “Taking the regime down is a big deal. Normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel is a historic deal,” Graham told anchor Kristen Welker. “That’s where I’m going to spend my time and energy.” Both Saudi Arabia and Israel have been targeted by Iranian attacks since Saturday’s initial strikes. The South Carolina Republican on Sunday also said he spoke with exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi about new leadership in Iran. “There will be no American boots on the ground. This is not Iraq, this is not Germany, this is not Japan. We’re going to free the people up from the terrorist regime,” Graham said.  “And the goal is not only to help the Iranian people to chart a new destiny, to make sure no matter who takes over in Iran, no matter who it is, no matter who the people pick, they cannot become the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” he added. Add as preferred source on Google Tags Ali Khamenei Donald Trump Israel strikes on Iran Joe Biden Kristen Welker Lindsey Graham Sen. Lindsey Graham Trump administration U.S. strikes on Iran Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More Senate News See All Senate Graham: US not going to ‘occupy’ Iran by Ashleigh Fields 54 minutes ago Senate  /  54 minutes ago