King Salman Decorates Special Emergency, Security Forces’ Commanders with New Ranks

Saudi King Salman at the decoration ceremony, SPA
Saudi King Salman at the decoration ceremony, SPA
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King Salman Decorates Special Emergency, Security Forces’ Commanders with New Ranks

Saudi King Salman at the decoration ceremony, SPA
Saudi King Salman at the decoration ceremony, SPA

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday decorated both Special Emergency Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Khaled bin Qarar Al-Harbi and Special Security Forces Commander Maj.Gen. Mofleh bin Salim Al-Otaibi with their new ranks.

King Salman wished both officials booming success in their careers, said the state-owned news outlet the Saudi Press Agency.

For their part, Lt.Gen.Harbi and Maj.Gen.Otaibi thanked King Salman for the royal trust bestowed on them.

King Salman appealed to Allah Almighty to support them in performing their duties.

The rank-decorating ceremony was attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior, and Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Howairini, Head of the State Security.

On that note, a royal order issued by King Salaman established the National Development Fund to be under the mandate of the Prime Minister.

The National Development Fund will oversee the functions of the Saudi Fund for Development, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, the Agricultural Development Fund, the Social Development Bank and the Human Resources Development Fund.

The Fund will have a Board of Directors chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and a membership of no less than seven members to be appointed by the Prime Minister, according to the order.

An Experts Committee from the Council of Ministers will prepare a draft regulation for the Fund within a period not exceeding thirty days from the date of this order, the royal order stated.

In other royal orders, Suleiman al-Humaidan was relieved of his duties as minister of transport and appointed as minister of civil service while Nabil al-Amoodi was appointed as minister of transport.

Also, Essam al-Mubarak was appointed as Governor of the General Property Authority.

Another order appointed Sulaiman Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat as deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah.



Iranian Pilgrims Stranded in Saudi Arabia to Return Home via Jadidat Arar Crossing

The first Iranian pilgrims’ flights departed from Madinah airport. (Madinah Principality)
The first Iranian pilgrims’ flights departed from Madinah airport. (Madinah Principality)
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Iranian Pilgrims Stranded in Saudi Arabia to Return Home via Jadidat Arar Crossing

The first Iranian pilgrims’ flights departed from Madinah airport. (Madinah Principality)
The first Iranian pilgrims’ flights departed from Madinah airport. (Madinah Principality)

Iranian pilgrims began departing Saudi Arabia on Sunday in organized batches under a joint air-and-land travel program, authorities said, following the closure of Iranian airspace following strikes between Iran and Israel.

The move came in line with a directive by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and in response to guidance from Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The first group of pilgrims left Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, heading to Arar Airport near the Saudi border. From there, they will continue their journey overland to the Jadidat Arar border crossing into Iraq.

Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization announced that the return of pilgrims to their country will begin on June 15, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported.

The agency said the arrangements were made in cooperation with the Saudi government. Pilgrims will be flown by Saudi Airlines from Madinah to Arar Airport near the Iraqi border.

From Arar, pilgrims will continue by dedicated buses to the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala, where they will stay briefly to perform religious visits at the shrines of the Ahl al-Bayt.

Afterward, they will resume their journey to the Iran border using an Iranian land transport fleet before entering the country.

Crown Prince Mohammed had instructed the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to provide all necessary support to ensure the safe return of Iranian pilgrims and to facilitate their departure given the conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv.

With direct flights between Saudi Arabia and Iran suspended, a carefully coordinated plan was implemented to evacuate approximately 77,000 stranded pilgrims.

The first group of pilgrims arrived at Jadidat Arar on Sunday. Several daily flights to Arar, each carrying around 350 pilgrims, are being conducted, with roughly 3,000 pilgrims transported each day as part of this initial phase.

These efforts reflect Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian approach to hosting and serving the guests of the Two Holy Mosques, ensuring their safe return home despite complex regional challenges.

The operation underscores the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to facilitating pilgrimage for people of all nationalities.