King Salman Hopes Iran Would Change its Negative Behavior in the Region

King Salman delivered his annual speech before the Saudi Shura Council virtually on Wednesday. (SPA)
King Salman delivered his annual speech before the Saudi Shura Council virtually on Wednesday. (SPA)
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King Salman Hopes Iran Would Change its Negative Behavior in the Region

King Salman delivered his annual speech before the Saudi Shura Council virtually on Wednesday. (SPA)
King Salman delivered his annual speech before the Saudi Shura Council virtually on Wednesday. (SPA)

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz hoped on Wednesday that Iran would change its negative behavior in the region and choose dialogue and cooperation.

In address to the Kingdom's advisory Shura Council, the king said: "We follow with concern the Iranian government’s policy which is destabilizing regional security and stability, including building and backing sectarian armed militias and propagating its military power in other countries.”

"(We follow with concern) its lack of cooperation with the international community regarding its nuclear program and its development of ballistic missiles," he added.

"The Kingdom also stands by the brotherly Lebanese people, and urges all Lebanese leaders to prioritize the interests of their people ... and stop Hezbollah’s terrorist hegemony over the structures of the state," King Salman said.

He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's initiative "to end the conflict in Yemen and support global and international efforts to reach a political solution, in accordance with the three references: The Gulf initiative and its implementation mechanism, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, and UN Security Council Resolution No. 2216.”

On Afghanistan, he said Saudi Arabia is "closely following the developments" as he stressed the "importance of the stability and security of Afghanistan instead of being a haven for terrorist organizations."

"The Kingdom also urges intensifying regional and international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Afghan people. In this regard, the Kingdom called for a special meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Ministerial Council in December 2021, to provide relief to the brotherly people of Afghanistan,” he said.

The king also took the occasion to commend Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he credited for the various visionary projects being undertaken as part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 program.

He mentioned the start of the second phase of Vision 2030, the goal of which is to create a diversified economy.

King Salman also said the OPEC+ production agreement was "essential" to oil market stability and stressed the need for producers to comply with the pact.

The king said market stability and balance are a pillar of Saudi energy policy and efforts to maintain spare capacity had proven important to safeguarding energy supply security.

"The Kingdom ... confirms its keenness for the continuation of the OPEC+ agreement due to its essential role in oil market stability and also stresses the importance of compliance by all participating countries with the agreement," he said.



Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
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Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has begun a tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, marking his second visit to the region and his first since most international sanctions on Syria were lifted.

The trip, which began in the United Arab Emirates, underscores Damascus’s push to reintegrate economically and diplomatically into the Arab world after more than a decade of isolation.

According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the tour aims to bolster economic cooperation and attract Gulf investments to support Syria’s national reconstruction and development plans.

Al-Sharaa arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where he was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders held official talks focusing on post-war recovery, economic partnership, and infrastructure development.

Speaking during the meeting, al-Sharaa said Syria has “turned the page on war and division” and is now focused on building “strategic partnerships” with its Gulf neighbors. He praised the UAE’s role in supporting regional stability and expressed interest in learning from the Emirati model in sustainable development, digital transformation, and clean energy.

For his part, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s full support for Syria’s efforts to restore stability and rebuild its war-torn economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, especially in key sectors such as infrastructure, investment, and technology.