Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader said Wednesday that a historic normalization of relations with Israel is getting “closer,” as he also warned that the kingdom will seek a nuclear weapon if foe Iran gets one first. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman denied in an interview with Fox News that the Saudis have suspended US-brokered talks with Israel.

“Every day we get closer,” the prince, who is widely seen as effectively the kingdom’s leader, said.

But he said the kingdom was seeking more progress on ensuring the rights of the Palestinians, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government continues to pursue controversial settlements in the occupied West Bank.

“For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part,” he said, according to excerpts of the interview released by Fox News.

Israel has normalized relations with five Arab nations but recognition by Saudi Arabia is seen as a historic prize in Middle East diplomacy, due to the kingdom’s role as the guardian of Islam’s two holiest sites.

Both Israel and Saudi Arabia, as well as other Arab states, share mutual hostility toward Iran, a Shiite clerical state and frequent rival to the Saudis.

In the interview, the crown prince, most commonly known by his initials MBS, renewed warnings that Saudi Arabia would seek nuclear weapons if Iran does.

“If they get one, we have to get one,” he said.