Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says the kingdom isn't seeking war in the region, but won't hesitate to deal with any threats to its people and vital interests.

In his first public remarks since attacks last month on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, the powerful Saudi prince accused Iran of using militias to destabilize the region.

He said the attacks days earlier on vessels in the Gulf of Oman, as well as on an oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia and a civilian airport in the kingdom's southern city of Abha, "confirm the importance of our demands of the international community to take a decisive stance" against Iran's behavior.

He made the remarks in an interview published Sunday by the pan-Arabic newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.