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 FM Discusses Regional Developments with Zayani, Ishaq Dar

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the day Pakistan hosts talks with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye to discuss regional de-escalation, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 29, 2026. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the day Pakistan hosts talks with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye to discuss regional de-escalation, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 29, 2026. (SPA)
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Saudi FM Discusses Regional Developments with Zayani, Ishaq Dar

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the day Pakistan hosts talks with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye to discuss regional de-escalation, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 29, 2026. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the day Pakistan hosts talks with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye to discuss regional de-escalation, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 29, 2026. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held separate telephone talks with his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif al-Zayani and Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar on regional developments and their impact on security and stability.

They tackled efforts to achieve stability and security in the Middle East, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump said the agreement was reached after he spoke to leaders in Pakistan, which has played a key role in mediating the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28.


Saudi Arabia Condemns Storming of Kuwait Consulate in Iraq’s Basra

Saudi Arabia Condemns Storming of Kuwait Consulate in Iraq’s Basra
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Saudi Arabia Condemns Storming of Kuwait Consulate in Iraq’s Basra

Saudi Arabia Condemns Storming of Kuwait Consulate in Iraq’s Basra

Saudi Arabia condemned on Tuesday the storming of the Kuwaiti consulate in the Iraqi city of Basra.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom slammed the ensuing violations that took place inside the mission.

It condemned these “irresponsible actions”, saying it was “a country’s responsibility to completely protect all members of diplomatic missions and their headquarters in line with the Vienna Convention”.


Pakistan Renews Support to Saudi Arabia amid Iran Attacks

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
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Pakistan Renews Support to Saudi Arabia amid Iran Attacks

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

Pakistan reiterated on Tuesday its support and solidarity with Saudi Arabia, condemning the Iranian attacks against the Kingdom.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Saudi brothers and sisters,” said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a post on the X platform after holding telephone talks with Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

“Appreciated the Kingdom’s restraint under the wise and sagacious leadership of the Crown Prince and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing peace efforts for de-escalation in the region.”

Attacks against Saudi Arabia are a dangerous violation of its sovereignty and an escalation that threatens the region’s security and stability, he added, according to the Saudi Press Agency.