AceShowbiz - Michael Lohan has defended his daughter Lindsay Lohan's "platonic" friendship the controversial Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman.

According to editors at the New York Post's gossip column Page Six, Lindsay was rumoured to have become close to bin Salman, with the pair swapping regular texts, flying the actress around in his private jet and showering her with presents - including a gift-wrapped credit card.

But according to dad Michael, while she does know the Saudi prince, he insisted their relationship is merely "platonic and respectful."

"They are just friends, Lindsay has a lot of powerful friends in the Middle East, because she is huge out there," he told the gossip column at Denise Rich's Angel Ball on Monday, October 28. "Lindsay met MBS (Mohammad bin Salman) because of the work she has been doing in the Middle East. She is working to help people in the region, particularly refugees."

He added: "Nobody writes about the good work Lindsay does in Syria, they just want to hear the bad stuff. She has a platonic and respectful relationship with MBS, nothing more."

The Saudi prince has been accused of reportedly imprisoning members of his own family and ordering the murder of prominent Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. And when asked if he was concerned that Lindsay is spending time with someone at the centre of such controversy, Michael added, "None of that has proven to be true. Lindsay says he's a good person. She feels safe, she has good people around her, and she knows how to conduct herself."

His comments come after the "Mean Girls" star's representative previously insisted to the publication that the pair met just once - at a Formula One Grand Prix race. The rep also denied that bin Salman gave her a credit card.