‘Riyadh Meeting’ Monitors the Handling of Iranian Activities

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Asharq Al-Awsat
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Asharq Al-Awsat
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‘Riyadh Meeting’ Monitors the Handling of Iranian Activities

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Asharq Al-Awsat
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Asharq Al-Awsat

Western, Gulf and Arab officials affirmed in Riyadh on Thursday their determination to address broad security concerns in the region, including Iran’s destabilizing activities.

The coordination meeting was attended by the US Special Envoy for Iran, the political directors of the foreign ministries in France, Britain and Germany, and their counterparts in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Egypt and Jordan.

Participants exchanged views on the political and security situation in the region, including Iran’s actions. They also addressed the upcoming seventh round of talks on the return of Iran and the United States to mutual, full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA).

A joint statement released after the meeting reiterated the importance of quickly reaching and implementing a negotiated solution to that end and of ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.

The political directors and the US Special Envoy for Iran welcomed the regional partners’ efforts to deescalate tensions and promote dialogue in the region.

They affirmed their determination to continue to address broader security concerns of the region. They discussed Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region, including the use and transfer of ballistic missiles and UAVs that have led to attacks against regional partners. They reiterated their concern for and condemnation of such destabilizing activities.

They underlined that enhanced regional dialogue and a return to mutual compliance with the JCPoA would benefit the entire Middle East, allow for more regional partnerships and economic exchange, with long-lasting implications for growth and the well-being of all people there, including in Iran.



Saudi FM Discusses Recent Regional Developments with Egyptian Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah holding talks with his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Badr Abdelatty in Riyadh - SPA   
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah holding talks with his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Badr Abdelatty in Riyadh - SPA  
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Saudi FM Discusses Recent Regional Developments with Egyptian Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah holding talks with his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Badr Abdelatty in Riyadh - SPA   
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah holding talks with his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Badr Abdelatty in Riyadh - SPA  

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met with his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Badr Abdelatty in Riyadh on Thursday.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the bilateral relations and explored ways to strengthen and develop them in various fields, SPA reported.

They also discussed the latest regional developments, particularly the situation in the Gaza Strip, including the ongoing Israeli occupation and its brutal attacks on the residents of the strip.

They addressed recent violations of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar and the resulting repercussions for security and stability in the region.

Both sides emphasized the importance of uniting efforts to ensure the security and safety of the region.


Qatar Meets ICC Head as It Considers Legal Action Against Israel

FILE PHOTO: The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. Picture taken February 17, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem al Omari/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. Picture taken February 17, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem al Omari/File Photo
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Qatar Meets ICC Head as It Considers Legal Action Against Israel

FILE PHOTO: The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. Picture taken February 17, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem al Omari/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. Picture taken February 17, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem al Omari/File Photo

Qatar has met with the president of the International Criminal Court as it seeks legal action against Israel over its unprecedented strike on its territory last week, an official said on Thursday.

The emirate's chief negotiator, Mohammed al-Khulaifi, met in The Hague with the president of the ICC, Judge Tomoko Akane, as it pursues "every available legal and diplomatic avenue to ensure accountability for those responsible for Israel's attack on Qatar", the Qatari official told AFP.

Last week's deadly Israeli strike targeted Qatar-based leaders of Palestinian militant group Hamas and sent shock waves through the Gulf states that have long depended on the United States for their security.

Hamas has said top officials of its political bureau, hosted in Qatar with US blessing since 2012, survived the strike but it said five members were killed, along with an officer of Qatar's internal security force.

In a post on X after his meeting with the ICC chief, Khulaifi said his visit had been "part of the work of the team tasked with exploring legal avenues to respond to the illegal Israeli armed attack against the State of Qatar".

Last year, the ICC launched a prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel's war in Gaza, including by intentionally targeting civilians and using starvation as a method of war.

The ICC also sought the arrest of Israel's former defense minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who has since been confirmed killed by Israel.


Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Expand Defense Partnership with Strategic Pact

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif hold talks in Riyadh (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif hold talks in Riyadh (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Expand Defense Partnership with Strategic Pact

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif hold talks in Riyadh (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif hold talks in Riyadh (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a strategic defense agreement on Wednesday that commits the two countries to treat any armed attack on one as an assault on both, in a move underscoring deepening military ties between the long-time partners.

The “Joint Strategic Defense Agreement” was signed in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif following formal talks, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

The two leaders discussed what Riyadh described as their “close bilateral ties,” cooperation in security and defense, and regional and international developments.

The deal crowns decades of military cooperation that began in the 1960s and has included joint training, exercises, and defense production projects. Officials and analysts said the new deal - pledging a collective response to external aggression -marks an unprecedented step that raises commitments to the level of major defense alliances.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman hailed the pact in a post on X, saying: “Saudi Arabia and Pakistan... One front against any aggressor... Always and forever.”

Ali Awadh Asseri, former Saudi ambassador to Pakistan, said the agreement reflects a blend of Pakistan’s military expertise and Saudi Arabia’s financial strength and strategic location, bound by enduring political trust. “No matter how leadership changes in either country, ties only grow stronger,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Analysts said the accord does not target any specific party or replace existing security arrangements with other states, but rather signals recognition that modern threats cut across borders and require shared deterrence.

Saudi-Pakistani defense cooperation stretches back more than half a century, with both nations conducting regular air, land and naval drills. The Crown Prince’s visit to Islamabad in 2019 established a Supreme Coordination Council and ushered in $20 billion in Saudi investment pledges, cementing the link between security and economic partnership.

The latest agreement, officials said, positions the two countries in a “single defensive front” at a time of shifting global alliances. Its effectiveness, however, will hinge on follow-up mechanisms, including intelligence sharing, joint command structures and operational coordination.

Sharif arrived in Riyadh earlier on Wednesday on a state visit, escorted into Saudi airspace by Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 fighter jets. His trip came two days after meeting the Crown Prince in Doha on the sidelines of an Arab-Islamic summit, where they discussed regional tensions.

For both governments, analysts say, the signing is not just a legal step but a political signal that Riyadh and Islamabad have elevated their defense partnership to a new phase - one built on deterrence, joint security and shared strategic vision.