Diriyah’s At-Turaif, Bujairi Terrace to Start Welcoming Visitors Next Week

The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Diriyah’s At-Turaif, Bujairi Terrace to Start Welcoming Visitors Next Week

The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb inaugurated the UNESCO World Heritage sites At-Turaif and the Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah on Monday. Visitors will start flocking to the sites on Dec. 4, marking a new stage in the history of Diriyah.

The Diriyah Gate Development Authority held a special gala dinner for several World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) delegates who were present in Riyadh for the 22nd WTTC Global Summit.

The opening of At-Turaif and the Bujairi Terrace is a very important event for the Diriyah Gate Development project, which has a value of $63.2 billion.

Today, Bujairi Terrace includes more than 20 restaurants, including four Michelin-starred restaurants, and a group of carefully selected Saudi restaurants that serve a varied menu of traditional and contemporary cuisine.

DGDA Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo said that the opening of the neighborhood again to the public “represents the beginning of a new era in the history of Diriyah, which is a symbol that embodies the history and values of the Saudi nation as it has been preserved over the centuries.”

Inzerillo stressed that Diriyah, once again, is presented as a place for the meeting of global cultures.

“This event represents a clear confirmation of the long-term and ambitious national transformation that the DGDA contributes through its comprehensive project system, foremost of which is the preservation of the Saudi cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible,” said Inzerillo.

According to Inzerillo, the At-Turaif neighborhood represents one of the most important historical sites in Saudi Arabia.

Furthermore, Inzerillo stressed that the completion of a restaurants area in the Bujairi Terrace embodies the great and tangible progress of the DGDA’s contribution to the Quality of Life Program as one of the most important programs of “Saudi Vision 2030.”

The diversity offered by famous local and international restaurants will make Bujairi Terrace the first destination for luxury restaurants in the Kingdom.



Iran FM to Visit Saudi Arabia to Avert Major Regional Military Escalation

 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)
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Iran FM to Visit Saudi Arabia to Avert Major Regional Military Escalation

 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will arrive in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday morning as part of a regional tour aimed at averting a major regional military escalation.

He is scheduled to meet with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.

Iran’s ISNA news agency said Araqchi’s tour will focus on regional issues and efforts to end the “Israeli crimes” in Gaza and Lebanon.

Political Science Professor Dr. Saleh al-Khathlan said the Riyadh visit aims to avert a regional escalation.

Saudi Arabia will employ its efforts with regional and world partners to prevent the region from being dragged to a dangerous military confrontation, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Iran is in a very difficult position and it needs countries with political regional weight, such as Saudi Arabia, to help it out of the crisis it has found itself in,” he explained.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted Araqchi as saying that after consultations in New York and Doha, and trips to Beirut and Damascus, “I will continue these visits and head to Saudi Arabia and regional countries to seek measures to stop these crimes.”

The consultations are ongoing to stop the crimes and condemn Israel, he added.

“Iran has repeatedly said it does not want war, even though we do not fear it,” he declared.

“We are prepared for any scenario and all necessary targets have been decided. Our policy aims to end the conflicts and reach an acceptable truce,” the FM said.

Al-Khathlan noted that Araqchi is carrying out his tour in wake of the latest escalation in the region and the possibility that Israel could launch destructive attacks against Iran after its ballistic missile strikes last week.

Iran is facing major dangers and so the FM will focus with Saudi officials on averting escalation, he added.

Tehran fully realizes that Riyadh, given its strong ties with regional and international players, can assume a pivotal role in restoring calm and preventing the spillover of the conflict into the region, he stressed.

Ultimately, however, the success of regional efforts lies in the hands of the Israeli government and its American backer, he noted.

At the moment, the United States is preoccupied with its presidential elections and any uncalculated action may hamper the chances of Joe Biden’s successor, Kamala Harris, in becoming president, Al-Khathlan said.