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Saudi Arabia Accelerates Steps to Activate Green Middle East Initiative

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. (SPA file photo)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. (SPA file photo)
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Saudi Arabia Accelerates Steps to Activate Green Middle East Initiative

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. (SPA file photo)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. (SPA file photo)

As soon as Saudi Arabia announced its Green Middle East Initiative, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, held talks with a number of the region’s leaders, who underlined the importance of achieving the goals of the environmental project and praised its impact on their countries and residents.

The Green Middle East Initiative - announced by the Crown Prince on Saturday - is the largest afforestation program in the world, which seeks to confront environmental challenges in the region and improve the quality of life and public health.

The project aims to raise the percentage of protected areas to more than 30 percent of the land, thus surpassing the current global target of 17 percent in each country. It also seeks to plant 50 billion trees, enhance the efficiency of oil production and boost the contribution of renewable energy. Moreover, the Saudi initiative will involve multiple efforts to preserve marine and coastal environment and increase the proportion of natural reserves.

Crown Prince Mohammed held phone calls with regional leaders, who emphasized their support and readiness to work for the implementation of the initiative’s goals.

Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah praised the Saudi efforts to protect the environment and emphasized his country’s willingness to work with the Kingdom to achieve the goals of the initiative.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa thanked the Crown Prince for the initiative, and stressed Manama’s readiness to support all efforts in this regard.

King Abdullah II of Jordan welcomed the environmental project and expressed his country’s readiness to cooperate with the Kingdom to achieve the desired goals, while Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said that Iraq would stand with Saudi Arabia to achieve what is best for the region.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman both expressed their appreciation and support for the Saudi initiative during two separate phone calls with Crown Prince Mohammed.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, underlined the importance of the initiative in confronting environmental challenges in the region and world.

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Iranian Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Committed to Peace and Stability with Saudi Arabia

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)
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Iranian Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Committed to Peace and Stability with Saudi Arabia

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi reaffirmed Iran and Saudi Arabia’s mutual determination to establish lasting peace and stability in the region.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat during his visit to Riyadh, Ravanchi emphasized that achieving this goal requires sustained bilateral and regional cooperation to address current threats and build a foundation for prosperity and security.
During his meetings with the Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eng. Waleed ElKhereiji, Ravanchi discussed strengthening bilateral relations in political, economic, and consular fields, and explored key regional and international issues.
He described Saudi-Iranian efforts as a “successful model of bilateral and multilateral cooperation,” aimed at fostering peace, security, and development on both regional and international levels. Ravanchi underscored the importance of historical ties and the principle of good neighborliness as the basis for advancing this relationship.
Following the second meeting of the Saudi-Chinese-Iranian trilateral committee in Riyadh, both Saudi Arabia and Iran reiterated their full commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement, according to a statement by the Saudi foreign ministry. The accord, mediated by China, aims to restore diplomatic ties and promote mutual respect for sovereignty and security in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and international law.
China praised the progress achieved since the agreement’s signing, including the reopening of embassies and increased bilateral engagement. It pledged to continue supporting Saudi-Iranian efforts to deepen their cooperation and maintain regional stability.
Ravanchi, who previously served as Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations and was a member of the Iranian nuclear negotiating team with the P5+1, described the atmosphere of the meetings as “cordial and transparent.” He added that the three nations exchanged views on topics of mutual interest and stressed the importance of continuing this “positive and forward-looking process.” He also revealed “constructive and friendly” meetings held by the Iranian delegation with their Saudi hosts and Chinese counterparts, during which they discussed enhancing bilateral and trilateral cooperation and reviewed developments in relations over the past year.
One significant development has been the improvement in consular services. Over 87,000 Iranian pilgrims performed Hajj, and more than 52,000 completed Umrah in the past year, demonstrating enhanced coordination. Additionally, the first meeting of the Saudi-Iranian Joint Media Committee and the signing of an MoU between Saudi Arabia’s Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies and Iran’s Institute for Political and International Studies further strengthened institutional ties.
The trilateral meeting also tackled pressing regional challenges, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The participants condemned Israel’s aggression in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the continuation of humanitarian aid to affected regions. They warned that ongoing violence poses significant risks to regional and global security, including threats to maritime safety.
On Yemen, the parties reiterated their support for a comprehensive political solution under United Nations auspices. They emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to achieve lasting peace in the war-torn country.
Saudi-Iranian relations have undergone a remarkable transformation since the signing of the Beijing Agreement. The reopening of embassies, including Iran’s embassy in Riyadh in June after a seven-year hiatus, marked a turning point in their ties.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Alireza Bigdeli described the day as a “historic milestone” in Saudi-Iranian relations. He expressed confidence that the renewed relationship would reach its peak, emphasizing that the restoration of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia opens a new chapter in bilateral and regional relations, aimed at greater cooperation and stability.