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UAE President, Iranian FM Discuss Regional Developments

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)
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UAE President, Iranian FM Discuss Regional Developments

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on Thursday with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi, where the two sides shared views on enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

The UAE President and the Iranian Foreign Minister also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues, and they discussed the importance of building on positive developments to benefit the people of the region and enhance regional stability and prosperity, according to the Emirati news agency, WAM.

During the meeting, which took place at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ali Mohammed Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State; and Saif Mohammed Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Iran.

Later, UAE FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with his Iranian counterpart on ways to develop collaboration paths between the two countries to achieve their best interest and contribute to enhancing security and stability of the region.

The discussions also tackled a number of issues of mutual interest, the situation in the region, as well as the latest regional and international developments.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasized that the UAE believes in the significance of establishing an international approach to multilateral action based on cooperation and partnership to meet the aspirations of peoples for development, progress and prosperity.

He also indicated that commitment to the principles of good neighborliness and positive and constructive dialogue among the countries of the region represents the basis for their stability, prosperity and leadership.

In Tehran, the official news agency, IRNA, stated that the Iranian top diplomat conveyed the invitation of President Ebrahim Raisi to the President of the UAE to visit Iran.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, for his part, expressed his gratitude and welcomed the invitation.

He reciprocally conveyed his invitation to the Iranian President to visit the UAE.

IRNA said that the two men also discussed various issues of bilateral relations in political, economic, commercial, cultural and consular spheres.

In another development, the UAE and Iran signed an air transport services agreement on Thursday, WAM reported.

The agreement aims to organize air transportation between the two countries.

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Gulf

Bahraini Speaker: Saudi Arabia Remains Main Pillar of Regional Security, Stability

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Bahraini Speaker: Saudi Arabia Remains Main Pillar of Regional Security, Stability

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Speaker of the Council of Representatives of the Kingdom of Bahrain Ahmed bin Salman Al-Musallam praised the deep-rooted history, strong fraternal ties, growing cooperation, and shared destiny that characterize Bahraini-Saudi relations, fostered by the leadership of both countries.

Marking Saudi National Day, Al-Musallam said the Council of Representatives is committed to strengthening parliamentary cooperation with the Saudi Shura Council and to continuous coordination in regional and international parliamentary forums, in the interests of both countries and in support of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), SPA reported.

He praised the comprehensive development Saudi Arabia is achieving across all sectors under Saudi Vision 2030, saying the Kingdom has become a global model for growth, economic transformation, youth empowerment, investment in human capital, and major future projects that benefit all of humanity.

Al-Musallam added that he takes great pride in Saudi Arabia's pivotal role in championing Gulf, Arab, Islamic, international, and humanitarian causes. He said the Kingdom has been and will remain the main pillar of regional security and stability, a voice of reason and wisdom in international forums, and a leader in relief and humanitarian work around the world.

Gulf

Saudi King Hails Forces Defending Kingdom, Condemns Houthi Attempts to Target Makkah

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairing a Cabinet session in Jeddah - SPA
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairing a Cabinet session in Jeddah - SPA
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Saudi King Hails Forces Defending Kingdom, Condemns Houthi Attempts to Target Makkah

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairing a Cabinet session in Jeddah - SPA
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairing a Cabinet session in Jeddah - SPA

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session held on Tuesday in Jeddah.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques praised and thanked Allah Almighty for the great blessings bestowed upon this country, and for the honor of serving the Grand Mosque, the Prophet's Mosque, and their visitors. As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its National Day tomorrow, the King expressed his wishes for further achievements and successes in the nation's journey of growth, progress, and leadership across all sectors, SPA reported.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques acknowledged the role of military and security personnel and their brave heroes in defending the homeland and firmly confronting any aggression against the holy sites, the pilgrims, and the Kingdom's citizens and residents.

He also condemned the terrorist Houthi militia's repeated attempt to target Makkah—an act met with widespread international condemnation and denunciation—emphasizing that this heinous crime, which violates the sanctity of the holy sites, provokes the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.

The Cabinet then reviewed the outcomes of the visit by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the Arab Republic of Egypt, where discussions held with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi underscored the depth of bilateral relations, the shared desire to enhance cooperation, and the commitment to ongoing consultation and coordination on issues of mutual interest to serve both peoples.

The Cabinet also reviewed the contents of a message HRH the Crown Prince received from King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of Jordan, as well as the details of a phone call he received from French President Emmanuel Macron, which addressed regional developments, efforts to bolster regional stability, and measures to safeguard the freedom and safety of maritime navigation and waterways.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the Cabinet, upon its review of regional developments, emphasized the necessity of adhering to international law—specifically respect for state sovereignty, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and the guarantee of safe navigation in international waterways—to safeguard the security of states, fulfill the aspirations of peoples, and protect international trade and global supply chains.

The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of several international conferences hosted by Saudi Arabia. It highlighted the recommendations issued by the ministerial meeting of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence 2026, which support international cooperation to ensure sound AI development, strengthen governance frameworks, regulate emerging technologies, and harness them safely and inclusively to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Cabinet commended the success of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit, which saw the launch of more than 40 agreements and initiatives aimed at localizing knowledge and innovation, advancing the sector, achieving national strategic targets, and boosting the contribution of global research to pharmaceutical discoveries and future technologies. These efforts reinforce the Kingdom's leadership in initiatives serving human health as a top priority.

The Cabinet also noted the unveiling of the first models from the national automotive company, CEER, marking a new strategic milestone toward establishing an advanced, sustainable industrial ecosystem. This step empowers the sector as a vital engine of economic growth—attracting investments, supporting national talent, and expanding the private sector's developmental role—in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives and cementing the Kingdom's standing as a leading regional and global industrial hub.

Gulf

Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Arab and Islamic Countries Meet on UNGA Sidelines

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
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Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Arab and Islamic Countries Meet on UNGA Sidelines

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo

The ministers of foreign affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Türkiye met in New York on September 21, 2026, on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The ministers expressed deep concern over the continued humanitarian suffering in Gaza and called upon Israel to immediately fulfill its outstanding commitments under the First Phase of the Comprehensive Plan, including by ensuring the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance and Early Recovery supplies, and facilitating the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure. They stressed the imperative of preserving the ceasefire and ending all violations, SPA reported.

The ministers stressed that the Road Map constitutes an integral part of the Comprehensive Plan and provides the implementation framework for advancing its Second Phase, including decommissioning alongside full Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), the assumption by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) of its responsibilities throughout the Gaza Strip, and the launch of Early Recovery and Reconstruction across Gaza. They called on all parties to fulfill their respective commitments in good faith and without delay.

The ministers reiterated their categorical rejection of any measures aimed at the expulsion or the forced displacement of the Palestinian people from their homeland or attempts to alter the territorial or demographic character of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

They deplored in this context the illegal measures aimed at consolidating Israeli control and annexation, including the accelerating settlement expansion, land confiscation, demolition of Palestinian homes, settler violence and terrorism, and forced displacement, and called for their immediate reversal. They expressed grave concern over measures undermining the historical and legal Status Quo of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

The ministers welcomed the recent measures taken by the United Kingdom, as well as broader national and European efforts, in response to illegal Israeli settlement activity, including measures to halt trade with illegal Israeli settlements and called for further effective measures to end settlement expansion and ensure accountability for settler violence.

They also emphasized that Gaza must remain an integral part of the Palestinian territory and reaffirmed that the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan must contribute to the reunification of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, and to a credible and irreversible pathway towards the exercise of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the realization of a sovereign, viable, and independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital, through the implementation of the two-state solution.

The ministers commended the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and underscored the indispensable role of the United States in ensuring the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. They called for sustained and active US engagement to ensure that all parties, including Israel, fulfill their commitments and obligations and overcome obstacles to implementing the Road Map. They stressed that tangible progress on the ground will strengthen the credibility of the Board of Peace and the authority of the plan and create deeply needed momentum.

The ministers reaffirmed their readiness to continue working collectively with the United States, the Board of Peace, the Palestinian Authority and all relevant parties to advance the full implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and its Road Map, alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, fulfill their right to self-determination and independent statehood and achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.