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Saudi Arabia, Portugal Discuss Ways to Improve Cooperation

The Saudi and Portuguese Foreign Ministers during their meeting in Lisbon on Friday. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi and Portuguese Foreign Ministers during their meeting in Lisbon on Friday. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia, Portugal Discuss Ways to Improve Cooperation

The Saudi and Portuguese Foreign Ministers during their meeting in Lisbon on Friday. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi and Portuguese Foreign Ministers during their meeting in Lisbon on Friday. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has discussed with his Portuguese counterpart, Augusto Santos Silva, ways to combat extremism and terrorism, and promote international peace and security.

The two ministers also discussed in Lisbon on Friday the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in various fields.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan also reviewed the Kingdom’s efforts during its presidency of the G20 to strengthen cooperation in facing the coronavirus pandemic and its repercussions.

After the meeting, the two ministers held a joint press conference, in which the Saudi FM affirmed that “this is the first visit of a Saudi foreign minister to Portugal."

The two countries are working on improving their bilateral relations, he said.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on his Twitter account that Riyadh and Lisbon have a joint view on developing ties.

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Gulf

King Salman: We Thank God for Honoring Us With Serving the Two Holy Mosques and Caring for Pilgrims

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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King Salman: We Thank God for Honoring Us With Serving the Two Holy Mosques and Caring for Pilgrims

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday expressed “gratitude to Almighty God for honoring us with the service of the Two Holy Mosques and the care of pilgrims to His Sacred House.”

King Salman prayed that God accept the pilgrims’ Hajj, rituals and acts of worship.

“With the advent of the blessed Eid al-Adha, we congratulate our people in this blessed homeland and our Islamic nation on this occasion, and pray to Him Almighty to make it an Eid of goodness, peace and stability for our nation and the entire world. May you all be well every year,” the king said.

Since dawn on the first day of Eid al-Adha, pilgrims have begun performing the stoning ritual at Mina, casting seven pebbles at the Grand Jamarat (Jamarat al-Aqaba), amid smooth crowd movement under the prepared dispatching plan.

About 1.7 million pilgrims departed to Muzdalifah after sunset on Tuesday following their standing at Arafat to perform the greatest pillar of Hajj, in safety and dressed in unified white garments.

Security and service teams were deployed across the holy sites to oversee pilgrims’ movement from Arafat to Muzdalifah, where they remained until dawn on Wednesday, the morning of Eid al-Adha, in preparation for proceeding to Mina to perform the stoning of Jamarat al-Aqaba, Tawaf al-Ifadah, the sacrificial offering, and the shaving or trimming of hair, before staying in Mina for the remainder of the Hajj rites.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif said the level of security, organizational and service integration across the Hajj system, along with its advanced capabilities and preparations, reflects the scale of care provided to pilgrims and enhances the efficiency of implementing security and operational plans to ensure their safety and enable them to perform their rituals with ease and reassurance.

On Tuesday, the interior minister inspected the Special Security Forces of the Presidency of State Security participating in the Hajj security forces, praising the specialized efforts carried out by the units.

Gulf

Pilgrims Perform Tawaf Al-Ifadah in Spiritual Atmosphere

The Grand Mosque witnessed a large influx of pilgrims performing Tawaf Al-Ifadah under the direct supervision of the relevant sectors - SPA
The Grand Mosque witnessed a large influx of pilgrims performing Tawaf Al-Ifadah under the direct supervision of the relevant sectors - SPA
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Pilgrims Perform Tawaf Al-Ifadah in Spiritual Atmosphere

The Grand Mosque witnessed a large influx of pilgrims performing Tawaf Al-Ifadah under the direct supervision of the relevant sectors - SPA
The Grand Mosque witnessed a large influx of pilgrims performing Tawaf Al-Ifadah under the direct supervision of the relevant sectors - SPA

Pilgrims Wednesday performed Tawaf Al-Ifadah at the Grand Mosque after standing at Arafat, spending the night in Muzdalifah and performing the stoning of Jamrat Al-Aqaba, SPA reported.

This was facilitated through a comprehensive system of organizational, health, and security services provided by the relevant authorities to ensure the smooth movement and safety of pilgrims throughout their rituals.

The Grand Mosque witnessed a large influx of pilgrims performing Tawaf Al-Ifadah under the direct supervision of the relevant sectors, which mobilized their human and technological resources to serve worshippers and facilitate their movement with ease and efficiency.

Pilgrims will continue performing their rituals in Mina during the Days of Tashreeq, where they will stone the three Jamarat. They will then conclude their Hajj with the Farewell Tawaf before departing Makkah.

Gulf

Pilgrims Perform Stoning Ritual at Jamrat Al-Aqaba in Mina

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar symbolizing Satan, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia, May 27, 2026. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar symbolizing Satan, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia, May 27, 2026. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
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Pilgrims Perform Stoning Ritual at Jamrat Al-Aqaba in Mina

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar symbolizing Satan, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia, May 27, 2026. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
Muslim pilgrims cast stones at a pillar symbolizing Satan, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia, May 27, 2026. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Pilgrims arriving from Muzdalifah began at dawn Wednesday performing the stoning ritual at Jamrat Al-Aqaba in Mina on the first day of Eid Al-Adha, amid an integrated system of security, health, and organizational services provided by the relevant Saudi authorities to facilitate the performance of rituals.

The Jamarat facility witnessed smooth crowd movement supported by direct field monitoring and operational plans designed to regulate pedestrian flows and ensure safe mobility between the holy sites.

Authorities were on hand around the facility through the deployment of ambulance and medical teams, guidance and awareness services, and enhanced sanitation and cleaning operations to provide a safe and comfortable environment for pilgrims.

Meanwhile, shuttle buses and Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro continued transporting pilgrims between the holy sites according to operational schedules aligned with traffic and crowd-management plans aimed at easing movement and reducing travel time.

Stoning of Jamrat Al-Aqaba marks one of the key Hajj rituals performed by pilgrims following their overnight stay in Muzdalifah, before continuing the remaining rites of the Day of Al-Nahr (Day of Sacrifice), including animal sacrifice, hair shaving or trimming, and Tawaf Al-Ifadah.