Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Agree on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic and Special Passports

The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)
The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Agree on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic and Special Passports

The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)
The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed a reciprocal visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic and special passports.

After the signing of the agreement, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation to serve common interests and promote security and stability in the region.

The meeting was attended by Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Fahad Abualnasr, and Director General of the General Department for Councils and Committees Fahad Alharthi.

 

06 May 2026, Türkiye, Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud sign a bilateral agreement on mutual visa exemption for diplomatic and special passport holders following the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa

 

Also Wednesday, Prince Faisal and Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan co-chaired the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara.

The meeting reflected the advanced relations between the two countries and their commitment to strengthening coordination and cooperation across all fields in a manner that serves common interests and meets the aspirations of the leadership and peoples of both countries.

At the outset of the meeting, the ministers reviewed relations between the two countries and stressed the importance of institutionalizing current and future cooperation within the framework of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council to ensure sustainable progress and shared prosperity.

They also stressed the need to leverage the capabilities and resources available to both countries to achieve mutual benefits, while commending the role of the council’s secretariat and affiliated committees.

The two ministers hoped to hold the fourth meeting of the council in the Kingdom on a date to be agreed upon by both sides.

 

06 May 2026, 06 May 2026, Türkiye, Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud following the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa

 

The Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council, established in 2016, is a mechanism for cooperation and consultation between the two countries aimed at developing and strengthening relations in all their dimensions within an institutional framework.

The first meeting of the Council was held in Ankara on February 7 and 8, 2017, while the second meeting was held in Riyadh on May 18, 2025.

The Council includes 5 sub-committees with the participation of relevant authorities from both countries: The Political and Diplomatic Committee, the Military and Security Committee, the Culture, Sports, Media, and Tourism Committee, the Social Development, Health, and Education Committee, and the Trade, Industry, Investment, Infrastructure, and Energy Committee.

Regular meetings of the sub-committees are held, the last of which was the meeting of the Political and Diplomatic Committee held virtually on April 28 last year to prepare for the Council's third meeting.



MWL Condemns Drone Attack on Saudi Arabia

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
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MWL Condemns Drone Attack on Saudi Arabia

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

The Muslim World League (MWL) strongly condemned the drone attack on Saudi Arabia launched from Iraqi airspace and commended the high efficiency demonstrated in intercepting and neutralizing the drones, SPA reported.

In a statement issued by the MWL General Secretariat, Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa denounced the criminal attacks, which violate all religious values, international laws, and humanitarian norms.

On behalf of the MWL councils, bodies, and global assemblies, and in the name of Islamic peoples under its umbrella, he reaffirmed full solidarity with the Kingdom in all measures it takes to protect its security, stability, and the safety of its people.


UAE Strongly Condemns Drone Attack on Saudi Arabia

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
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UAE Strongly Condemns Drone Attack on Saudi Arabia

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) strongly condemned the drone attack on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched from Iraqi airspace, describing it as an unacceptable act of aggression, a violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, and a threat to its security and the security of the region, SPA reported.

In a statement issued Monday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the country's full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures taken to preserve its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents.


OIC Warns Against Israel's Seizure of Palestinian Holy Sites, Properties Near Al-Aqsa Mosque

OIC Warns Against Israel's Seizure of Palestinian Holy Sites, Properties Near Al-Aqsa Mosque
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OIC Warns Against Israel's Seizure of Palestinian Holy Sites, Properties Near Al-Aqsa Mosque

OIC Warns Against Israel's Seizure of Palestinian Holy Sites, Properties Near Al-Aqsa Mosque

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) warned against the Israeli occupation's seizure of historical buildings, Palestinian properties, and Islamic endowments surrounding Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The general secretariat affirmed that these plans are part of Judaization policies aimed at imposing new demographic and geographic realities on the ground to alter the identity of the Old City in occupied Al-Quds, undermine the historical and legal status of the holy sites, and erase the deep-rooted civilizational, historical, and cultural heritage of the Palestinian people there, SPA reported.

The OIC strongly condemned the Israeli occupation authorities' approval of a settlement plan to convert the forcibly seized headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in occupied Jerusalem into a museum and headquarters for the so-called "Israeli Ministry of Security."

The organization stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Al-Quds and that these measures constitute an extension of racist policies aimed at undermining UNRWA's mandate, facilities, staff, and role, in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, relevant resolutions, and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.

The OIC renewed its call on all active international parties to intervene immediately to compel the Israeli occupation to halt these ongoing crimes and violations against occupied Al-Quds, its people, and its Islamic and Christian holy sites and historical landmarks.

It also affirmed the need to protect UN institutions operating in the occupied Palestinian territory, foremost among them UNRWA, and enable them to fulfill their mandate without hindrance.