Saudi Crown Prince’s Gulf Tour: A New Start for Cooperation

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters
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Saudi Crown Prince’s Gulf Tour: A New Start for Cooperation

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters

Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, is gearing up to host the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) summit next Tuesday. The summit’s final communique will likely fall in line with the positions that were launched in the Gulf tour of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Saudi Crown Prince's tour, which kickstarted in Muscat and ended in Kuwait, has worked to consolidate Gulf views regarding regional and international matters. It also reaffirmed Saudi keenness to preserve unity within the GCC and expand strategic partnerships.

The final statements on the five stops of the tour confirmed the common points agreed upon by the leaders of the six countries to enhance the security and stability of the Gulf region, develop their economies, and achieve Gulf visions.

For years, Saudi Arabia has been keen to establish and strengthen bilateral, regional councils in the Gulf region. This chiefly aimed to develop bilateral relations and raise the level of cooperation in all fields, according to regular and sustainable institutional work in the political, economic, security, military, investment, developmental and cultural fields.

The five concluding statements on the Crown Prince’s tour emphasized the importance of the joint coordination councils with Saudi Arabia.

Muscat had praised the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council for expanding the scope of bilateral relations and achieving integration in all fields to serve the interests of the two countries. It is noteworthy that the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council was established during Sultan Haitham bin Tariq’s visit to Saudi Arabia in July 2021.

The sixth meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council was co-chaired by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have signed several key agreements following talks held between King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Saudi Crown Prince.

The agreements were based on the outcomes of the second Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council meeting.



Saudi Interior Minister, Singapore's Coordinating Minister for National Security Discuss Regional Security Development

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Interior Minister, Singapore's Coordinating Minister for National Security Discuss Regional Security Development

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz received a phone call on Sunday from Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs of the Republic of Singapore K Shanmugam.

During the call, the two officials discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and current security developments amid the Iranian attacks targeting regional security and stability, SPA reported.

They also affirmed the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation and coordination in support of regional security and stability, in addition to discussing a number of topics of mutual interest.

Shanmugam expressed his country's condemnation of the Iranian attacks targeting the Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, affirming Singapore's solidarity with the Kingdom and the GCC states in all measures aimed at enhancing security and stability.


Saudi Arabia Condemns Riots Targeting UAE Embassy in Damascus

Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Condemns Riots Targeting UAE Embassy in Damascus

Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia called for the protection of diplomatic missions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia condemned on Sunday the riots, assaults, and attempted vandalism that targeted the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates and the residence of its head of mission in Damascus.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom also slammed the “unacceptable offenses directed at the national symbols of the brotherly UAE.”

The ministry stressed the Kingdom’s “rejection of these attacks and all forms of violence against diplomats, stressing the need to ensure the protection of diplomats and diplomatic missions in line with relevant international laws and conventions.”

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi also slammed the attack against the UAE embassy in Damascus, urging Syrian authorities to hold those responsible to account.


Oman, Iran Hold Talks on Strait of Hormuz

Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)
Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)
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Oman, Iran Hold Talks on Strait of Hormuz

Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)
Traffic passing a huge political billboard reading in Persian "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed", in Enghelb square in Tehran, Iran, 05 April 2026. (EPA)

Oman and Iran held talks on easing passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the Omani state news agency reported Sunday, with the key shipping chokepoint effectively closed due to war in the Middle East.

"Oman and Iran held a meeting at the deputy ministers level in the foreign ministries of the two countries, with the attendance of specialists from both sides, during which the possible options were discussed regarding ensuring the smooth passage through the Strait of Hormuz," the news agency posted on X.

"The experts from both sides put forward a number of visions and proposals regarding it," it added.