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.



Funerals Performed in Saudi Arabia for Victims of Aramco Helicopter Crash

The funeral prayer is performed at the Al-Furqan Mosque in Dammam. (SPA)
The funeral prayer is performed at the Al-Furqan Mosque in Dammam. (SPA)
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Funerals Performed in Saudi Arabia for Victims of Aramco Helicopter Crash

The funeral prayer is performed at the Al-Furqan Mosque in Dammam. (SPA)
The funeral prayer is performed at the Al-Furqan Mosque in Dammam. (SPA)

Funerals were performed in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Region on Monday for the 14 victims of a Saudi Aramco helicopter crash.

Governor of the Eastern Region Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz performed the funeral prayer for seven of the victims at Al-Furqan Mosque in Dammam. Prayers were performed for three other victims in the al-Qatif region.

The Energy Ministry and Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser offered their condolences over the martyrs.

The accident occurred around 6 a.m. in Ras Tanura on Sunday, and everyone killed was a Saudi national, said the Energy Ministry in statement said. An investigation was opened into the cause of the crash.

An official source at the ministry said the aircraft was a Leonardo AW139. It was transporting oil sector workers from the underwater and offshore oil fields in the Gulf.


Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Qatar after Citizen Dies Following Recent Military Operations

Illuminated skyscrapers are pictured along the corniche promenade in Doha on June 29, 2026. (AFP)
Illuminated skyscrapers are pictured along the corniche promenade in Doha on June 29, 2026. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Qatar after Citizen Dies Following Recent Military Operations

Illuminated skyscrapers are pictured along the corniche promenade in Doha on June 29, 2026. (AFP)
Illuminated skyscrapers are pictured along the corniche promenade in Doha on June 29, 2026. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia offered its condolences to Qatar on Monday over the death of a Qatari citizen who was injured by shrapnel resulting from the recent military operations in the region. One resident was also wounded in the incident.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Kingdom expressed its solidarity with Qatar, its government and people, extending its condolences to the family of the deceased, and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Qatar had on Sunday announced the death of a citizen and the injury of a resident, in a maritime incident, as a result of their being hit by shrapnel from military operations in the region.

In a statement, the Ministry of Interior said as part of routine monitoring and verification procedures for maritime vessels conducted by General Directorate of Coasts and Boarders Security, it was noted that a vessel with two individuals on board had failed to return at its scheduled time.

The Maritime Search and Rescue Team of the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security located the missing vessel on Sunday.

Search operations confirmed that a Qatari citizen was martyred after sustaining injuries from shrapnel resulting from the military operations in the area. An Arab resident was also injured and has been transferred to hospital for medical treatment. He is in stable condition.


Saudi FM Kicks off Official Visit to China

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah seen in Riyadh in May 2025. (EPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah seen in Riyadh in May 2025. (EPA)
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Saudi FM Kicks off Official Visit to China

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah seen in Riyadh in May 2025. (EPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah seen in Riyadh in May 2025. (EPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrived in Beijing on Tuesday on an official visit to China.

He is scheduled to meet with senior government officials to discuss bilateral relations and regional and international issues of common interest.