Riyadh Prepares to Host Strategic GCC Dialogues with Russia, India

Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)
Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)
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Riyadh Prepares to Host Strategic GCC Dialogues with Russia, India

Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)
Gulf foreign ministers and GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi meet in Doha in June. (GCC)

The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries will meet in Riyadh on Monday for their 161st Ministerial Council. They will also hold joint separate meetings with their counterparts from Russia, India and Brazil.

GCC Secretary-General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi said in August that the Ministerial Council will tackle several issues related to joint Gulf work, and regional and international developments.

The members of the council will hold a number of joint ministerial meetings with several countries to discuss cooperation and coordination and exchange views on regional and international developments.

The ministers will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the seventh GCC-Russia strategic dialogue. The two parties had previously underscored the importance of the dialogue between them to achieve common interests and deepen relations.

They had approved the Gulf-Russian 2023-2028 joint plan that is aimed at strengthening ties and exchanging expertise in several areas.

The parties last met in Moscow in July. They agreed to intensify efforts to achieve peace, security, stability and prosperity around the world.

They agreed to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of nations and to refrain from meddling in their internal affairs. They stressed the need to confront challenges and crises through peaceful means, prioritize dialogue and resolve conflicts through negotiations.

The meeting welcomed GCC efforts to pave the way for a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine.

The GCC ministers will also meet with their Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the first ever between the two sides.

They will also hold joint talks with Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, who was invited to Riyadh by Al Budawi during a visit to Brazil in June.

Officials are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding and joint work plan aimed at bolstering and developing relations between them.



Saudi King, Crown Prince Offer Offer Condolences to China President over Heavy Rainfall Victims

Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo
Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo
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Saudi King, Crown Prince Offer Offer Condolences to China President over Heavy Rainfall Victims

Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo
Joint photo of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - File Photo

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a cable of condolences to President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China over the victims of heavy rainfall that struck the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques extended his sincerest condolences to the president, the families of the deceased, and the people of China, and wished the president continued safety from all harm, SPA reported.

For his part, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, also sent a cable of condolences to President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping over the victims of heavy rainfall that struck the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China.

The Crown Prince extended his sincerest condolences to the president, the families of the deceased, and the people of China, and wished the president continued safety from all harm.


Saudi Crown Prince Offers Phone Condolences to Emir of Qatar over Passing of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa

(Right) Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA); (Left) Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (QNA).
(Right) Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA); (Left) Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (QNA).
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Saudi Crown Prince Offers Phone Condolences to Emir of Qatar over Passing of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa

(Right) Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA); (Left) Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (QNA).
(Right) Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (SPA); (Left) Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (QNA).

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, held a phone call on Monday with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and offered his condolences over the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The Crown Prince expressed sympathy to the emir praying for God's mercy and forgiveness upon the deceased.

The Qatari emir thanked the Saudi crown prince for his sincere fraternal condolences.


Iranian Missile Strikes Target Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan

Bahrain's capital, Manama (file photo)
Bahrain's capital, Manama (file photo)
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Iranian Missile Strikes Target Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan

Bahrain's capital, Manama (file photo)
Bahrain's capital, Manama (file photo)

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Monday claimed strikes against Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, saying they targeted US military facilities.

Iran's official IRNA news agency, citing a series of statements by the Revolutionary Guards, said Iran had launched attacks targeting Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, a US drone command center in Bahrain and other air bases, including Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.

Bahrain's Interior Ministry said on X that warning sirens had been activated, urging citizens and residents to remain calm, head to the nearest safe location and follow updates through official channels.

Kuwait's military also said its armed forces had intercepted hostile aerial targets within Kuwaiti airspace.

The military's General Staff said in a post on X, any explosions heard were the result of air defense systems intercepting hostile attacks and urged the public to follow safety instructions issued by the relevant authorities.

The Jordanian army said in a statement that its air defenses successfully intercepted four missiles launched from Iran, with no casualties or property damage reported.

The statement cited a military source as saying that the air defense systems intercepted and destroyed four missiles that entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory early on Monday, adding that the incident caused no injuries or material damage.