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Saudi Crown Prince Calls for Utmost Efficiency, Excellence in Serving Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs a cabinet session in Jeddah on Tuesday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs a cabinet session in Jeddah on Tuesday (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Calls for Utmost Efficiency, Excellence in Serving Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs a cabinet session in Jeddah on Tuesday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs a cabinet session in Jeddah on Tuesday (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, directed on Tuesday all relevant authorities to operate with utmost efficiency and excellence in implementing security, preventive, and organizational plans to serve the Hajj pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah, the holy sites, and at the Kingdom's entry points.

Chairing a Cabinet session held in Jeddah, the Crown Prince specially highlighted the arrangements made to facilitate pilgrim arrivals under the Makkah Route Initiative.
On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, he welcomed pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom from around the world to perform Hajj rituals.

The Cabinet discussed recent regional and international developments, along with the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to deescalate tensions.

It noted that Saudi Arabia continues to work closely with friendly nations to address crises, reduce tensions, and promote respect for international law in pursuit of a more stable and prosperous world.

The Cabinet also reiterated the Kingdom’s continued efforts to mobilize international support to end violence, protect civilians, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas in Palestine.

It reaffirmed commitment to advancing the two-state solution as the only path to achieving lasting peace and security.

The Cabinet strongly condemned the Israeli attacks on Syria's sovereignty and security, warning that the continuation of such violations and extremist policies exacerbates the risk of regional violence and instability.

Also, it called for an immediate end to the war in Sudan and urged efforts to spare the country further suffering and destruction. The Cabinet emphasized that resolving the crisis requires a Sudanese-led political solution that respects the country’s sovereignty and unity and is supported by its national institutions.

At the economic level, the Cabinet confirmed that the record performance of non-oil exports in 2024 and their continued growth reflect the Kingdom's accelerated efforts to diversify income and capitalize on global opportunities to achieve new gains in line with Vision 2030 goals.
It praised the ongoing significant improvements in digital services across vital sectors, which contributed to the Kingdom ranking first among Middle East and North African countries for the third consecutive year in the 2024 Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index, issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

The Cabinet then endorsed a declaration of intent between the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty for cooperation in critical minerals.
It also approved an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Djibouti on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments, and another MoU between the Saudi Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority and Enterprise Estonia in the development of the small and medium enterprises sector and entrepreneurship.
The Cabinet approved a MoU between the Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority and the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency for cooperation in tax administration.
It also approved the guiding model of a MoU for cooperation in the field of roads between the Saudi Roads General Authority and its counterpart agencies in other countries and another guiding model of a MoU for cooperation in combating human trafficking crimes between the Saudi Human Rights Commission and its counterpart agencies in other countries.

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Gulf Analysts Warn of Escalation, Urge Mediation Efforts

Air defenses seen over Tehran – Reuters
Air defenses seen over Tehran – Reuters
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Gulf Analysts Warn of Escalation, Urge Mediation Efforts

Air defenses seen over Tehran – Reuters
Air defenses seen over Tehran – Reuters

Gulf analysts have warned that escalating tensions between Israel and Iran pose serious security and economic threats that could destabilize the region, urging the activation of mediation channels and stepped-up diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider confrontation.

 

Despite the firm and longstanding position of the Gulf states condemning all acts of aggression regardless of their source, analysts told Asharq Al-Awsat that they remain vulnerable to potential disruptions in oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as direct threats, including missile strikes or attacks by Iran-backed groups.

 

The conflict between Iran and Israel has sharply escalated, with heavy rocket fire and airstrikes continuing after Israel launched a sweeping aerial assault that killed senior military commanders and scientists and targeted nuclear sites in a bid to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

 

Analysts have warned that a potential strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor could trigger a catastrophic radiation leak into Gulf waters, posing a direct threat to desalination plants that Gulf countries rely on for their primary water supply.

 

The Gulf Cooperation Council said no abnormal radiation levels had been detected in any member states so far, adding that environmental and radiological indicators remain within safe and technically permissible limits.

 

Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, said the region’s geographic proximity and strategic interdependence with Iran place Gulf states in a particularly vulnerable position.

 

“The key priority is to prevent Gulf countries from being drawn into the ongoing military confrontation, which could expose their sovereignty, territories and societies to serious threats that would undermine their security and stability,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

 

“Security threats top the list of potential risks, with significant impacts on Gulf economies,” added Sager.

 

“There is also the risk of an increase in irregular migration and displacement from Iran if the conflict continues. Finally, the potential for political and security chaos looms if the conflict evolves into instability within the Iranian regime,” he explained.

 

Dr. Hesham Alghannam, an expert at the Malcolm Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, believes Gulf states are at risk of being drawn into the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran due to their geographic proximity and the presence of US military bases that Iran may target if tensions rise.

 

Alghannam told Asharq Al-Awsat that the confrontation could also lead to disruptions in oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, affecting Gulf economies, as well as direct missile strikes or attacks by Iran-backed proxy groups.

 

Alghannam, who also heads the National Security Program at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, warned that a strike on the Bushehr nuclear reactor—if it were to happen—could result in a catastrophic radiation leak that contaminates Gulf waters.

 

“This would threaten the desalination systems Gulf countries depend on and further inflame an already volatile political landscape,” he said.

 

Strategic analyst Dr. Dhafer Al-Ajmi said the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel poses a direct threat to Gulf security, warning that Iran could target energy facilities and critical infrastructure in neighboring Gulf states.

 

“Such escalation would likely drive up oil prices and disrupt global energy supplies, negatively impacting both regional and global economies,” he said.

 

“It could also embolden Iran-backed groups to exploit the turmoil and carry out attacks within Gulf states, threatening internal stability,” added Al-Ajmi.

 

On his part, Sager stressed that the Gulf stance is rooted in firm principles that reject aggression from any side.

 

“The most important principle adopted by Gulf states regarding the Iranian-Israeli-American conflict is neutrality and non-involvement,” he said. “Gulf countries have sought to maintain balanced relations with all parties to the conflict, while adhering to international law and legitimacy”.

 

Sager noted that Gulf states have consistently opposed Iran’s violations of international norms and have repeatedly called on Tehran to respect the sovereignty of other nations, abandon its expansionist policies and regional ambitions, and fully comply with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the prohibition on developing or acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

 

Moreover, Sager said that Gulf states also reject Israel’s efforts to impose dominance in the region and its aggressive use of illegitimate force, which he said violate international law and regional stability.

 

“The Gulf position on US policy has also become clear,” he said, “with opposition to any American actions or positions that contravene international law and legitimacy”.

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Dhafer Al-Ajmi said Gulf countries should adhere to a policy of “constructive neutrality,” activate mediation and diplomatic channels, and strengthen international partnerships to secure support in the event of escalation.

 

He also called for boosting defense and security readiness, intensifying coordination with global allies to safeguard critical infrastructure, and supporting regional de-escalation efforts through political solutions that can prevent the conflict from widening.