King Salman Inaugurates Development Projects in Madinah

 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrives on the tarmac to welcome US President Donald Trump as he arrives aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrives on the tarmac to welcome US President Donald Trump as he arrives aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
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King Salman Inaugurates Development Projects in Madinah

 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrives on the tarmac to welcome US President Donald Trump as he arrives aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrives on the tarmac to welcome US President Donald Trump as he arrives aboard Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud attended on Thursday a reception ceremony held by the citizens of Madinah and inaugurated a number of development projects during the ceremony.

On arrival at the Madinah Governorate Palace, King Salman was received by Prince Faisal Bin Salman, emir of Madinah province, and Prince Saud Bin Khaled Al-Faisal, deputy emir of the province.

King Salman and the guests watched a presentation on the projects of Madinah Development Authority, including the humanization of Madinah project. It is one of the civilizational initiatives to reinforce the humanitarian dimension of the city, improve old neighborhoods, provide various services to preserve the authenticity of the place, the development of urbanization and the quality of human services.

The project encompasses: developing Quba Road, enhancing Hamra al-Asad buildings, developing Sayyid al-Shuhada town and rehabilitating buildings in the central region towns.

The King then launched the Madinah Province projects, expressing honor to inaugurate the projects. “We and our people are always honored to serve the two holy mosques. Thanks to Allah, our country enjoys security. Haj and Umrah pilgrims and visitors perform Haj and visit Madinah. They travel on long journeys in this vast country and feel secure and have peace of mind. We ought to thank Allah Almighty for this bounty and blessing,” he said.

The King and the attendees watched a visual presentation of the projects that were launched. They included 21 projects in the sectors of electricity, agriculture, water, education and transportation at a total cost exceeding SR7 billion.

After that, Madinah citizens were honored to greet King Salman.

He graced the banquet hosted by Prince Faisal Bin Salman, emir of Madinah region on behalf of the citizens of the region in honor of the King. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was accompanied by a number of princes.



Iran Signals Readiness to Expand Economic, Cultural Ties with Saudi Arabia

Saudi Crown Prince meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah on Tuesday — SPA
Saudi Crown Prince meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah on Tuesday — SPA
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Iran Signals Readiness to Expand Economic, Cultural Ties with Saudi Arabia

Saudi Crown Prince meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah on Tuesday — SPA
Saudi Crown Prince meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah on Tuesday — SPA

Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, described Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s recent visit to Riyadh as a clear sign on Tehran’s willingness to deepen economic and cultural relations with the kingdom.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Enayati said Tuesday’s visit focused on reviewing bilateral ties and cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. He emphasized Tehran’s commitment to strengthening relations with Riyadh and neighboring countries based on good neighborliness and shared interests.

During the visit, Araghchi held a series of high-level meetings with key Saudi officials, including Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

Enayati said Iran is ready to broaden cooperation with Saudi Arabia across economic, trade, and cultural sectors. He highlighted that the Crown Prince expressed satisfaction with the growing understanding and collaboration between the two leading Muslim nations.

The ambassador, who attended the meetings, added that the Crown Prince reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s determination to continue advancing this path and develop relations in all fields.

Enayati also recalled Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of military aggression against Iran’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

He said the Crown Prince stressed that regional security and stability depend on cooperation and understanding among countries in the region. This includes leveraging all capabilities to prevent escalation and insecurity and prioritizing diplomatic tools to resolve disputes, according to Iran’s envoy.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed hope that the recently agreed ceasefire will help foster security and stability across the region, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

During a reception for Araghchi in Jeddah, the Crown Prince reaffirmed Riyadh’s support for resolving disputes through diplomatic dialogue, describing it as the best path to lasting peace.

Araghchi thanked Saudi Arabia for its condemnation of Israeli aggression and praised the Crown Prince’s efforts to bolster regional security and stability.

Enayati conveyed Araghchi’s praise for “fruitful” security and defense consultations between the two countries.

Enayati described a recent visit to Tehran by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman as “highly significant and effective in advancing cooperation to strengthen regional security and stability.”

He added that Prince Khalid firmly condemned Israeli military aggression against Iran and extended condolences for the deaths of Iranian military and civilian figures in the attacks, according to the Iranian ambassador.

Prince Khalid took to X to outline the scope of his recent talks with Araghchi, emphasizing bilateral cooperation and regional security.

On his part, Enayati told Asharq Al-Awsat that Araghchi expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for its “valuable assistance” in facilitating the return of Iranian pilgrims amid disruptions caused by Israeli military aggression against Iran.

Enayati also relayed comments from Araghchi attributing recent Israeli attacks to what he described as the “impunity” enjoyed by the Israeli regime for its crimes against the Palestinian people and ongoing aggression toward other regional states.

The Iranian foreign minister strongly condemned the continued killing and displacement of Palestinians and the ongoing occupation.

He further denounced Israel’s repeated strikes against Lebanon and Syria, condemning the United Nations Security Council’s “silence and inaction,” which he described as a key factor in regional insecurity.