People attend a symbolic funeral prayer for Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the courtyard of Fatih mosque in Istanbul, Turkey November 16. (Photo: Reuters)

A Turkish newspaper reported on Thursday CIA director Gina Haspel signalled to Turkish officials last month that the agency had a recording of a call in which Saudi Arabia's crown prince gave instructions to "silence" Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Asked about the report, a Turkish official told Reuters he had no information about such a recording. Saudi Arabia has said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had no prior knowledge of Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul six weeks ago.

When asked about the recording by reporters in Florida, US President Donald Trump said, "I don't want to talk about it. You'll have to ask them." The CIA declined to comment when asked about the report.

READ| CIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi's killing: Report

"There is talk of another recording," Hurriyet newspaper journalist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote in a column, saying the purported call took place between Prince Mohammed and his brother, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington.

"It is being said that CIA chief Gina Haspel indicated this during her visit to Turkey," he wrote, adding that they had discussed Khashoggi, a critic of the kingdom's de-facto ruler.

"It is being said the crown prince gave orders to 'silence Jamal Khashoggi as soon as possible'," in a call which was monitored by the US agency, he said.

Meanwhile, Mohammed bin Salman has embarked on a regional tour starting with the United Arab Emirates, his first official trip abroad since critic Jamal Khashoggi's murder tipped the country into crisis.

Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 in an operation that Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan has said was ordered by the highest level of Saudi leadership.

READ| Jamal Khashoggi's remains turned to liquid, poured down drain

After offering numerous contradictory explanations, Riyadh said last week Khashoggi had been killed and his body dismembered when negotiations to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia failed.

Trump said the CIA had not definitively concluded that the crown prince was responsible, and said he would stand by Saudi Arabia's leadership because it was a key US ally.

"We want low oil prices and Saudi Arabia has really done a good job in that respect," Trump said.

"I hate the crime. I hate what's done. I hate the cover-up. And I tell you what: the crown prince hates it more than I do," Trump said, without providing further detail.

Saudi warns against charges on MBS

Saudi Arabia has warned criticism of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a "red line" as reported by news agency AFP.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Wednesday that calls for the crown prince to be held accountable for the grisly killing of Jamal Khashoggi would not be tolerated.

"In Saudi Arabia, our leadership is a red line. The custodian of the two holy mosques (King Salman) and the crown prince are a red line," Jubeir told the BBC.

"They represent every Saudi citizen and every Saudi citizen represents them. And we will not tolerate any discussion of anything that is disparaging towards our monarch or our crown prince."

Saudi faces international sanctions

The French foreign ministry said Thursday that it would impose sanctions against 18 Saudi citizens over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month. "These measures... aim to prohibit these individuals from entering national territory and the entire Schengen area" of Europe, the ministry said in a statement.

Denmark on Thursday suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the murder of Khashoggi. "The foreign ministry is suspending all sales of weapons and military equipment to Saudi Arabia," Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said.

On Monday, Germany decided to bar 18 Saudis from entering its territory and Europe's Schengen passport-free zone over their alleged links to the murder.

(with inputs from agencies)

READ| US imposes sanctions for Khashoggi killing, Saudis seek death penalty