US allies in the Middle East had been pressing to head off a US military strike against Tehran that they said would risk plunging the region into a wider conflict, The New York Times reports.

American allies in the region have sought to de-escalate the tension for weeks, since US President Donald Trump first threatened military intervention over Tehran’s crackdown on protests in Iran. The office of Badr Abdelatty, the Egyptian foreign minister, said he had spoken separately with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, calling for de-escalation.

And Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, spoke over the phone with President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran and called for “resolving disputes through dialogue in a manner that enhances security and stability in the region.”

Iranian officials have vowed that any attack would incite retaliation across the Middle East against U.S. allies that host American military bases, leaving countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia privately worrying about the potential fallout of a major conflict. Analysts say the White House is likely to seek significant concessions from Iran, including an end to nuclear enrichment and restrictions on the production of ballistic missiles. It is far from clear whether Iran would be willing to entertain such demands.