Fact check: Viral video does not show Saudi FM announcing end of reliance on US amid Mideast tensions

Review of full speech confirms that he does not make any of the statements attributed to him in the viral claims

Multiple users have been sharing a video on social media platforms X and Facebook since Tuesday, showing Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan allegedly announcing the end of reliance on the US. However, the video is old and does not contain any such statement.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran began on February 28, 2026, after joint US-Israeli strikes targeted Iranian military, nuclear, and leadership sites. In response, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones not only toward Israel but also toward US military bases and allied infrastructure across the Middle East, significantly widening the scope of the conflict.

Pakistan emerged as a central diplomatic actor in securing the ceasefire between the US and Iran, actively facilitating communication between the two sides at a critical stage of the conflict. The effort resulted in a two-week ceasefire and a 21-hour-long marathon Islamabad Talks on April 11. However, the failure of the talks led to the US military initiating a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday.

How it started

On Monday, an account on X that appeared to be from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), based on its username and past posts, shared a video showing FM Faisal asserting that the Kingdom bases its foreign policy solely on Saudi national interests, pursuing opportunities in the West or East without external dependency. Without mentioning America or its president, Donald Trump.

The post was captioned: “Saudi Sovereignty: National Interests Above All! ​To those seeking to understand the core of Saudi foreign policy amidst global polarisation, the answer is clear and decisive. As FM Faisal stated, ​‘The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not set its policies based on the interests of others, but rather on its own interests. We pursue our interests—whether in the West or the East—and wherever we find them, we will work to achieve them.’ ​The era of dependency is over. Riyadh is not a pawn in anyone’s gamble. We move according to a national compass that prioritises our stability, economy, and sovereign rights above any international pressure”

The post gained 452,000 views.

The video gained attention and was later widely shared with a claim that Faisal announced the end of reliance on the US after the US’s alleged defeat against Iran in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

A user who claims to be a broadcast journalist in his bio shared the same video in the above-mentioned context on April 14, with the following caption: “Breaking: We can no longer stand with Trump; Trump should first save himself, then save us. Saudi Arabia’s major announcement.”

The post garnered 394,000 views on X.

Another user who claims to be a journalist in her bio shared the same video on X in a similar context with the following caption: “Saudi FM Faisal: Era of relying on others is over, seen as signal for possible US withdrawal from Saudi Arabia, with Pakistan Army filling the gap.”

The post attracted 636,000 views

Another user on X shared the same video in a similar context with the following caption: “What a great U-turn. Listen to Saudi Arabia’s position today: ‘We can no longer stand with Trump; Trump should first save himself, then save us. Saudi Arabia’s major announcement.’ For the first time in over 80 years, the Saudis say no to the US. I call it Saudi Arabia’s U-turn of the century.”

The post gained 469,000 views.

A social media account shared the same video on X with the following caption: “Saudi FM Faisal: ​’The era of relying on the US has ended. How can Trump protect us when he cannot even protect his own country?“

The post attracted 702,000 views and was liked by 17,000 users.

Similarly, the video in a similar claim was widely shared by several other users, including PML-N supporters, based on their past posts on Facebook and X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively accumulated more than 72,000 views.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in the ongoing US-Israel and Iran conflict, as well as Pakistan’s mediation efforts, along with Saudi Arabia’s strategic role in the evolving regional dynamics.

The transcription of the video translates: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and as far as I know, all the Arab countries, do not put their policies based on the interests of others. They put their policies based on their own interests. We will follow our interests, and we will continue to pursue our policies based on those interests, regardless of the points of view.

At the same time, we will remain open to dialogue with all our partners, both in the West and in the East, to ensure that there is a complete understanding of what we are doing and that there is an effort to achieve these common benefits. These common benefits are not only for us with China, but also with the United States and others. We are pursuing our interests, and we find our interests in the West and in the East, and wherever we find them, we will work to achieve them.”

As is evident, no such announcement was made.

A keyword search was conducted to corroborate whether any credible Saudi, American, or international media outlets had reported on such remarks, but yielded no results.

A reverse image search was conducted to trace the source of the viral claim, which yielded a similar video from the same press conference posted on YouTube by Al-Saudiya, a Saudi news television channel, of Saudi FM Faisal, posted on December 9, 2022, with the title: “His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs: The Saudi economy is in a phase of great expansion and we need many partnerships.”

A keyword search conducted to trace the full press conference yielded a video shared by Emirati media outlet AlHadath on their YouTube channel with the title: “Press conference by the Saudi foreign minister at the conclusion of the Arab-Chinese Summit”

According to the original video, FM Faisal is seen speaking at a press conference in Riyadh on December 9, 2022, held after the China-Arab States Summit and the China-GCC Summit. The viral video has been taken from FM Faisal’s original speech, specifically from the 37:13-minute mark to 38:02-minute mark, where he can be heard making the same remarks as can be read in the transcription above.

A review of the full speech confirms that he does not make any of the statements attributed to him in the viral claims. He discusses Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy approach and strategic interests, with no mention of the claims made in the viral video.

Furthermore, a keyword search yielded news reports by Saudi media outlets Al Arabiya English and Sada Al-Sahel in the same context, dated December 9, 2022. None mentions the statement claimed with the viral video.

Fact-check status: False

Viral video shows the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan announcing the end of reliance on the US is false.

The viral video is old and does not contain any such statement.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan — a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.