Saudi Crown Prince: Biggest Danger of Terrorism is Distorting the Name of Islam

Saudi Crown Prince and Ministers of Defense during the inauguration of meeting of IMCTC Ministers of Defense Council. SPA
Saudi Crown Prince and Ministers of Defense during the inauguration of meeting of IMCTC Ministers of Defense Council. SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince: Biggest Danger of Terrorism is Distorting the Name of Islam

Saudi Crown Prince and Ministers of Defense during the inauguration of meeting of IMCTC Ministers of Defense Council. SPA
Saudi Crown Prince and Ministers of Defense during the inauguration of meeting of IMCTC Ministers of Defense Council. SPA

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense opened on Sunday the inaugural meeting of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) Ministers of Defense Council under the slogan "Allied Against Terrorism'' with participation of the ministers of Defense of the Islamic State's Coalition and international delegations.

The meeting marks the official launch of the IMCTC which will discuss the fight against the financing of terrorism and the identification of future mechanisms and frameworks that will guide the efforts of Islamic countries to eliminate terrorism, and unifying efforts to maintain international peace and security.

The Crown Prince said in his inauguration speech that the biggest threat of terrorism is the distortion it has imposed on Islam.

The prince also highlighted that today more than 40 Islamic countries strongly reaffirm their commitment to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.

"IMCTC members have gathered in Riyadh to pledge to do all that we can until terrorism is uprooted and is erased from the face of the Earth" the Crown Prince said.

He also sent his condolences to the brothers in Egypt for the attack in Sinai.

IMCTC has established the Counter Terrorism Center as its operational arm. The Center’s mission is to build up the member country’s Counter Terrorism capacity, exchange global best practice on specific IMCTC initiatives and create coordinated efforts across the four IMCTC domains; ideology, communications, counter terrorist financing, and military.

Two years ago in December 2015, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced the formation of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) to form a unified Pan-Islamic front against terrorism and to reinforce solidarity and collaboration among coalition member countries to present a unified front against terrorist organizations trying to tarnish the name of Islam.



Arab Solidarity with Qatar After Iranian Missile Strike

Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
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Arab Solidarity with Qatar After Iranian Missile Strike

Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

In a unified show of Arab solidarity, several Gulf and regional nations strongly condemned Iran’s missile strike on Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, denouncing it as a flagrant violation of international law, regional sovereignty, and the principles of good neighborliness.

Saudi Arabia led the regional response, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a sharply worded statement condemning the strike as an “unjustifiable and unacceptable act” that violated international norms. Riyadh reaffirmed its full support for Qatar, pledging to mobilize all available resources to assist its Gulf neighbor in any measures it deems necessary.

Bahrain echoed the Kingdom’s stance, condemning the IRGC’s aggression as a clear breach of Qatari sovereignty and airspace. Manama’s Foreign Ministry emphasized the “bond of brotherhood and blood” that ties Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, urging restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes while affirming its unwavering support for Doha.

The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack in the strongest terms, calling it a blatant violation of Qatari sovereignty and a dangerous escalation. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry expressed full solidarity with Qatar and underscored the importance of protecting civilians and maintaining regional stability. It warned that continued military provocations could lead the region into dangerous and irreversible consequences.

For its part, Kuwait described the strike as a “grave breach” of Qatari airspace and sovereignty. The Foreign Ministry declared its total support for Qatar’s leadership and people, backing their right to respond appropriately to such an attack. Kuwait also offered to mobilize its full capabilities to support its Gulf partner.

Oman, while emphasizing its commitment to de-escalation, also denounced Iran’s strike as a violation of the sovereignty of a fellow GCC member. Muscat pointed to Israel’s earlier unlawful strike on Iranian territory as a trigger for the current escalation and warned that expanding the conflict would only lead to greater instability and humanitarian suffering.

Iraq expressed deep concern about the intensifying regional conflict. Its Foreign Ministry called for immediate restraint, warning that the Iranian strike marked a dangerous turning point that could draw more actors into an already volatile confrontation.

The Secretary-General of the GCC, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, issued a strong statement condemning the Iranian missile attack as a violation of Qatari sovereignty and a threat to the collective security of the Gulf states. He stressed that Qatar’s security is inseparable from that of the entire GCC and called on the international community and the UN Security Council to hold Iran accountable for its destabilizing actions.