WASHINGTON: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with US President Donald Trump on Friday to about Middle East stability and the oil market, the White House said, after tensions with Iran prompted a rise in oil prices. “The two leaders discussed Saudi Arabia’s critical role in ensuring stability in the Middle East and in the global oil market. They also discussed the threat posed by the Iranian regime’s escalatory behavior,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement. ------ READ MORE Trump warned Iran via Oman that US attack was imminent, called for talks US working with Arab Coalition to prevent Iran from arming Houthis: Envoy ------ The White House says the two leaders spoke a day after Trump confirmed that he canceled a military strike against Iran on Thursday after Iran downed a US drone that it says was operating over Iranian airspace. The US says the drone had been flying over international waters when it was attacked. Trump has been stepping up a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and has blamed Iran for recent attacks on oil tankers moving through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.