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Gulf

Yemen’s Islah Party Says Riyadh Meeting Aids in Freeing Country from Iranian Militias

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday (SPA)
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Yemen’s Islah Party Says Riyadh Meeting Aids in Freeing Country from Iranian Militias

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday (SPA)

Mohammad al Yadoomi, head of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform, otherwise called al-Islah party, described his Wednesday meeting with Saudi and Abu Dhabi crown princes as exceptional and a step closer towards freeing Yemen from the influence of Iran-backed militias.

Yadoomi told Asharq Al-Awsat in a phone call interview that the visit served in erasing doubts had by the reformist party.

Thanking both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan for their countries’ efforts into reaching a solution in Yemen, Yadoomi said that the visit cleared up the overall picture.

When asked about his party’s role in the coming stage, Yadoomi stressed that it will carry on delivering the same message it always did.

"The party will stand with the people. It is also a major supporter of upholding legitimate authority led by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi,” he said.

"The situation in Sana’a is tragic for the civilians-- Houthi militias have subjected them to isolation, abuse and criminal acts.”

In a statement issued by al-Islah, the party praised the historic role played by the Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen, in terms of backing the war-torn country’s security, unity and stability.

The statement also labeled Saudi Arabia and the UAE as integral parties to sustaining security and stability for the Arab region in general and Gulf states in particular.

The statement stressed the importance of the role of the Arab coalition in supporting political legitimacy and state institutions in Yemen, and efforts to countering Iranian expansionist ambitions.

For his part, Yadoomi personally showed gratitude towards efforts exerted by the Saudi-led Arab Coalition.

The meeting between the crown princes and the head of the al-Islah party reflects Saudi keenness to unite all parties in Yemen with coalition countries to support legitimacy in Yemen.

Since Iran-backed militias overran the internationally-recognized government headed by Hadi, Saudi Arabia ensured playing a pivotal role in protecting the Yemeni people from crimes committed by Houthi militias.

Saudi Arabia has been quick to provide support and assistance to all Yemeni national sectors devastated by coup militias, which include "health, environment and economy."

Over the course of two years, Saudi Arabia has spent at least $8 billion in humanitarian relief, development and government assistance.

More so, Saudi aid programs have undertook the direct care and rehabilitation efforts of over 2,000 Yemeni children who were recruited by Houthi militias and dispatched to fight zones. 

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Gulf

Riyadh Consultative Meeting: Regional Countries Will Not Stand Idly by against Threats

The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Riyadh Consultative Meeting: Regional Countries Will Not Stand Idly by against Threats

The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

Foreign ministers of Gulf, Arab and regional countries condemned on Thursday Iran’s flagrant violation of principles of good neighborliness and of the sovereignty of nations, saying it will have grave repercussions against it and the security of the Middle East.

“Iran's attacks will cost it highly and impact relations with the countries and peoples of the region that will not stand idly by as they are threatened,” they warned in a statement after holding a consultative meeting in Riyadh.

The meeting brought together the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Syria, Türkiye, Pakistan and Azerbaijan to discuss the Iranian escalation and efforts to bolster coordination to protect regional stability.

In a statement, the gatherers strongly condemned Iran’s rocket and drone attacks on the Gulf, Jordan, Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and its targeting of residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, water desalination plants, airports and diplomatic districts.

“The attacks cannot be justified under any excuse,” they stressed, saying they were a violation of sovereignty of nations and international law.

They held Iran “fully responsible for the losses”, saying the countries reserve the right to defend themselves.

Moreover, they warned Iran of the danger of supporting militias, urging it to “seriously reconsider is miscalculations and immediately and unconditionally cease its attacks and commit to United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

They urged Iran “to respect international and humanitarian laws and the principles of good neighborliness as a first step towards ending the escalation and achieving security and stability in the region”. They called for diplomacy to resolve crises.

“The future of relations with Iran depends on the respect of the sovereignty of countries and non-interference in their internal affairs and refraining from attacking their sovereignty and territories in any way, shape or form,” they demanded.

It must also refrain from using its military capabilities to threaten regional countries, they added. It must stop supporting, financing and arming its militias in Arab countries.

Iran must also refrain from threatening or impeding marine navigation in the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Straits.

The FMs also expressed their support for Lebanon’s security, stability and territorial integrity. Lebanon must have sovereignty across its territories.

They stressed their backing of the Lebanese government’s decision to impose state monopoly over weapons, while condemning the Israeli attacks on Lebanon and its expansionist ambitions in the region.

The FMs said they will continue to hold intense consultations to follow up on the developments to come up with joint positions and take the necessary measures to protect their security, stability and sovereignty and stop the heinous Iranian attacks against their countries.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia, Egypt Sign Mutual Visa Exemptions for Holders of Diplomatic and Special Passports

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Egypt Sign Mutual Visa Exemptions for Holders of Diplomatic and Special Passports

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty meet in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, signed an agreement granting mutual exemption from short-stay visas for holders of diplomatic, special, and service passports of both countries.

The agreement, signed during a ceremony in Riyadh, comes within the framework of distinguished bilateral relations between the two countries and aims to support and advance their cooperation.

Gulf

Saudi FM: Trust in Iran Has Been Shattered

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah at the Riyadh meeting. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah at the Riyadh meeting. (SPA)
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Saudi FM: Trust in Iran Has Been Shattered

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah at the Riyadh meeting. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah at the Riyadh meeting. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah called on Iran on Thursday to cease its attacks on Gulf and Arab countries, warning that its behavior will have a price.

Speaking to the press after a meeting between foreign ministers of the Gulf Arab states and others over the Iranian attacks in Riyadh, he strongly condemned the Iranian attacks, urging the need for collective work to avert further escalation with a focus on defending the security and stability of nations.

The FMs stressed the importance of bolstering joint coordination and consultations to confront the rising security challenges and work together to support regional stability and prevent the conflict from widening.

"What little trust there was before has completely been shattered," Prince Faisal said.

"The attacks on my country and on my neighboring countries that are not involved in this conflict — that’s all I’m interested in," Prince Faisal said. "We’re going to use every lever we have — political, economic, diplomatic and otherwise — to get these attacks to stop."

He criticized Iran’s attacks on Riyadh. "The targeting of Riyadh while a number of diplomats are meeting... I cannot see it as coincidental. I think that's the clearest signal of how Iran feels about diplomacy," Prince Faisal said.

"It tries to pressure its neighbors, and that’s not going to work. It doesn't believe in talking to its neighbors."

"The Kingdom is not going to succumb to pressure, and on the contrary, this pressure will backfire... and certainly, as we have stated quite clearly, we have reserved the right to take military actions if deemed necessary," he said.

The foreign minister condemned the repeated targeting of civilian sites across the Gulf, dismissing Iran's justification that it was targeting US interests in the region as "weak".

"Neither Saudi Arabia nor the Gulf states would accept... blackmail, and escalation will be met with escalation," he said.

These countries have repeatedly said that their territories will not be turned into a launchpad for any military actions against neighbors, he stressed.

Iran will not become a real partner for regional countries given its hostile behavior, he added.

Asked about Iran’s claim that it was targeting US military bases in the Gulf, Prince Faisal said Tehran "has been saying this for years. At the same time, it has repeatedly denied its relationship with armed militias in the region. It always uses weak excuses to target the American presence."

"We have clearly said this to Iran before, the Kingdom will not become a party in the is war. It will not allow its military assets to be used in the war even though our infrastructure has been attacked from day one of the conflict," he remarked.

"Iran had pre-planned these heinous attacks. They are an extension of its behavior that is based on extortion and sponsoring militias, threatening the security and stability of neighboring countries," he went on to say.

The Iranians are practicing political extortion and the Kingdom and Gulf countries reject this, he declared.

"Iran must realize that Gulf countries are capable of political and other forms of responses. They will not back down from defending their countries," he warned. "We hope they get the message of this meeting and cease to attack their neighbors, but I doubt that they are that wise."

"If Iran doesn’t immediately cease its attacks, then nothing will be able to restore trust with it," he continued. "The patience we have shown is not limitless and Iran’s escalation will be met with escalation, whether on the political level or others."

"Iran was never a strategic partner to the Kingdom. It could have had it abandoned its ideas of hegemony over the region, exporting the revolution and the use of force," said Prince Faisal.

"Saudi Arabia has repeatedly tried to extend its hand to the Iranian brothers, the last of which was the Beijing agreement, but the Iranians did not reciprocate," he added.

A joint statement from the foreign ministers' meeting in Riyadh condemned "the deliberate use of ballistic missiles and drones targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, residential facilities and diplomatic missions".

The ministers "affirmed that such attacks cannot be justified under any circumstances and reiterated the right of states to defend themselves", the statement added, calling on Iran to "immediately cease its attacks" and de-escalate tensions.