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Saudi Arabia, Iraq Agree to Tighten Drug Control, Information Sharing

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud and Iraqi Health Minister and head of the Supreme Committee for Combating Drugs Dr. Saleh Al-Hasnawi signing a memorandum of understanding (SPA)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud and Iraqi Health Minister and head of the Supreme Committee for Combating Drugs Dr. Saleh Al-Hasnawi signing a memorandum of understanding (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Iraq Agree to Tighten Drug Control, Information Sharing

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud and Iraqi Health Minister and head of the Supreme Committee for Combating Drugs Dr. Saleh Al-Hasnawi signing a memorandum of understanding (SPA)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud and Iraqi Health Minister and head of the Supreme Committee for Combating Drugs Dr. Saleh Al-Hasnawi signing a memorandum of understanding (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday to combat the illicit trafficking of narcotics, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors, during talks in Riyadh between Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud and Iraqi Health Minister and head of the Supreme Committee for Combating Drugs Dr. Saleh Al-Hasnawi.

The agreement aims to curb the spread of drugs and improve the two countries’ response capabilities.

Iraqi Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Safia Al-Suhail told Asharq Al-Awsat the memorandum contains 17 clauses setting out frameworks for technical, information-sharing and oversight cooperation to tackle the growing challenges of illicit drug trade and bolster both national and regional readiness.

Al-Suhail said the meeting also explored ways to strengthen institutional coordination in the fight against narcotics and chemical precursors, alongside the signing of the accord between the two interior ministries.

She voiced optimism over bilateral efforts in recent years, citing “tangible successes” such as the seizure of large quantities of drugs, dismantling of trafficking networks, and the strengthening of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programs. The new agreement, she added, is expected to expand joint action to build a safer and healthier environment and reinforce regional partnerships against the cross-border threat.

Al-Hasnawi, who headed a high-level delegation, also met with Saudi Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel in Riyadh on Wednesday, where the two sides signed a separate memorandum of understanding to advance healthcare cooperation. The deal seeks to develop partnerships and widen the scope of collaboration to meet the two nations’ aspirations for an effective and sustainable health system.

Al-Suhail said the health accord provides an integrated framework to expand cooperation in areas such as investment in medical services, digital transformation, epidemic prevention and response, addiction prevention and treatment, and capacity-building through joint technical teams. It also envisages the exchange of technical and administrative expertise from leading institutions in both countries, paving the way for a “sustainable health approach based on institutional cooperation and practical development to improve future service quality.”

The memorandum includes plans to strengthen healthcare systems by boosting investment in the sector, improving patient referral services between the two countries, and expanding the use of digital health technologies, including virtual medicine and remote services. It also covers preventive care, public health, crowd health management, and epidemic preparedness through effective prevention measures.

Further areas of cooperation include epidemic control, health insurance, health applications, patient safety, clinical pharmacy, crisis management and pharmacovigilance.

Al-Suhail described Al-Hasnawi’s visit as “fruitful” in enhancing bilateral cooperation, saying joint coordination between Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry and Iraq’s Health Ministry – supported by intelligence and security agencies – is a “key pillar” in tackling the drugs problem and its social impact.

The Iraqi delegation’s brief but packed program included field visits to leading medical facilities in Riyadh, such as King Fahd Medical City, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the Virtual Health Hospital, the Command and Control Center, and the National Center for Health Crisis and Disaster Management.

The ambassador said the tour aimed to review Saudi Arabia’s successful healthcare models and explore ways to adapt them in Iraq.

 

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Gulf

Türkiye: The Makkah Agreement Will Be a Pivotal Platform That Changes the Rules of the Game in the Region

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).
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Türkiye: The Makkah Agreement Will Be a Pivotal Platform That Changes the Rules of the Game in the Region

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).

Türkiye said the Makkah Agreement on mutual defense will become a pivotal platform that will change the rules of the game in the region.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Makkah Agreement is progressing well and represents a very strong expression of political will, with intensive efforts under way to translate that will into practical steps.

He added that steps are currently being taken to institutionalize the agreement, and that work to establish the secretariat and associated military command stipulated in the agreement is nearing completion. An understanding has been reached, he said, leaving the deployment of personnel and activation of the command as the remaining steps, adding that Türkiye is satisfied with the progress being made in this regard.

In a televised interview late Saturday, Fidan said the Makkah Agreement is open to the countries of the region and that, once the steps of the foundational phase are completed, the necessary consultations can be held with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan regarding the admission of new allies.

He explained that there is an initial decision to that effect, noting that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said from the outset that if the framework did not expand, it would not constitute an alliance but rather a bloc. He added that Türkiye's regional vision is based on bringing together the largest possible group of countries in the region to establish a common defense framework.

Fidan stressed that this defense framework is not directed against outside parties. Rather, its aim is to enable the region to address its internal problems more effectively through the concept of regional ownership, and to prevent new crises from emerging by creating an environment of trust that did not previously exist. He said the fundamental starting point for all of this is the pursuit of regional solutions to regional problems.

Regarding the concerns expressed by some countries, and comments from Israel, Iran, India and Greece describing the Makkah Agreement as merely a piece of paper, Fidan said that the fact that these countries are concerned demonstrates the agreement's impact and importance.

He added that attempts to discredit the agreement and such forms of misinformation through the media are in fact a reflection of that impact and the concerns it has generated. He said Türkiye simply smiles and moves on because such claims have no basis.

Fidan pointed out that Türkiye has been a member of NATO since 1952 and that NATO has activated Article 5 only twice in its history, yet no one described the alliance as merely a piece of paper. He said that describing an agreement signed only three months ago in such terms, despite the rapid progress it is making, amounts to an attempt to end something before it has even begun. He added that, in reality, such an approach indirectly reflects the perception of the threat held by those making these comments, and said the Makkah Agreement will become a pivotal platform that changes the rules of the game.

Asked about the Houthis' recent attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and whether the principle of mutual defense under the Makkah Agreement would be activated, Fidan said Saudi Arabia had come under serious attacks targeting its territorial integrity, sovereignty and infrastructure. He said Türkiye stands in solidarity with Saudi Arabia on this matter, is assessing and analyzing the situation, and is conducting consultations that cannot be made public. These discussions, he added, could identify specific military needs in certain technical areas, and Türkiye would have no difficulty meeting them.

He noted that the Turkish Foreign Ministry had condemned the attacks against Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting Makkah and oil infrastructure. He stressed that it is unacceptable to turn this matter into part of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, and that Saudi Arabia must be kept outside this equation because it is also not seeking to join it.

Gulf

Saudi FM Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Commitment to International Peace and Security

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
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Saudi FM Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Commitment to International Peace and Security

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said that Saudi Arabia’s participation in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly this year reflects its approach of engaging with the international community, continuing its role in supporting international peace and security, promoting dialogue and mediation, and contributing to efforts to address shared challenges.

In a statement to SPA, Prince Faisal said that the Kingdom views the proceedings of this session, held under the theme "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All," as an opportunity to reaffirm the principles on which international institutions, foremost among them the United Nations, were established.

These principles include fulfilling their role in promoting security and peace, upholding international law and norms, and strengthening international cooperation in addressing crises.

He added that, in light of current developments in the region, the Kingdom affirms the need to uphold the principles of international law, which underscore respect for the sovereignty of states, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and the safety and freedom of navigation in international waterways, thereby safeguarding the security of all nations and advancing the aspirations of their peoples.

Prince Faisal also noted that, in its participation this year, the Kingdom places great importance on sustainable development, particularly artificial intelligence technologies and their responsible use to develop various sectors, enhance their efficiency, and support innovation, thus delivering tangible benefits to the people, coinciding with the Kingdom’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence.

Gulf

UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

A UN Security Council meeting
A UN Security Council meeting
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UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

A UN Security Council meeting
A UN Security Council meeting

The UN Security Council has warned of the consequences of the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the threats posed to international navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The Council considered that the militia's military actions in Yemen, alongside its targeting of Saudi territory and commercial shipping, threaten to expand the regional conflict, undermine maritime security and international trade, and hinder regional and international efforts aimed at achieving peace in Yemen.

In a statement issued on Friday night, Council members expressed solidarity with the Kingdom in confronting assaults targeting civilians and civilian objects, affirming Saudi Arabia's inherent right to self-defense in accordance with international law.

The members called on the Houthi militia to immediately halt its military escalation and attacks affecting civilians, stressing the importance of the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2216 of 2015 and subsequent relevant resolutions.

Reiterating support for the Yemeni government, the Council emphasized its commitment to Yemen's unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

Also, Council members denounced missile strikes directed at the Kingdom alongside attacks and threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

They stressed the critical need to safeguard commercial vessels and crew members while upholding international navigational freedoms under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Council members affirmed that the Houthi strikes on Saudi territory, threats to shipping in the Red Sea and advances near the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, risked “further expanding the conflict, threatening maritime security and international trade, and undermining regional and international efforts to secure peace in Yemen.”

The Council also backed Riyadh directly, affirming “the inherent right of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to self-defense in accordance with international law” and expressing solidarity with the Kingdom “in the face of attacks impacting civilians and civilian objects on its territory.”

The Council members demanded that the Houthis immediately cease their attacks affecting civilians and civilian objects, expressing their grave concern over reports regarding the killing and injuring of civilians, as well as the destruction of civilian objects and infrastructure resulting from these attacks.

Members also expressed grave concern about reports of civilians killed and injured and noted that at least 125,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the start of September, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

They warned that further escalation would worsen the country's dire humanitarian situation.
The members called for full, safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access and demanded the unconditional release of detainees, including 73 UN personnel and staff of NGOs, civil society groups and diplomatic missions.

The Council reaffirmed backing for UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg's efforts to broker a comprehensive political settlement guided by agreed references and relevant Security Council resolutions, and urged the Yemeni parties to engage constructively with UN efforts.