Iran asks Saudi for help with US?

If true, this is very interesting.

A Saudi official said on Monday Iran had asked Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, to help ease tensions between the Islamic Republic and the United States, as Washington held out the possibility of "engagement" with Tehran if it changed tack in Iraq.

An Iranian newspaper on Tuesday quoted a foreign ministry official denying a request for mediation.

Both Rice and Prince Saudi played down talk of mediation. "There is no need for mediation between the United States and Iran," Rice said, referring to a standoff over Iran's nuclear program, which she said was between Iran and the United Nations not Washington.

"There is no need for mediation," Saud al-Faisal said, but added: "Our relations with the United States are longstanding ... Iran is a neighbor of Saudi Arabia, so obviously we hope to avoid any conflict."

Do I assume this is exactly as presented? (You would think it would be worth at least a headline.)

Why did the Saudis want this out there? Was this a Saudi effort to pressure the US into talks? To make the Iranians look weak?

Also: The WaPo reports on the cool response the Saudis are giving Rice and the "new" plan.

The BBC says that Ahmadinejad has come under significant pressure in the last week with hardline newspapers criticizing his stance.

And, check out this quote from the Guardian,

The defence secretary, Robert Gates, told reporters that the decision to deploy a Patriot missile battalion and a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf in conjunction with a "surge" of troops in Iraq was designed to show Iran that the US was not "overcommitted" in Iraq.