Saudi Hajj Ministry: Available Vacancies, Registration to Continue Till Their Booked

Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
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Saudi Hajj Ministry: Available Vacancies, Registration to Continue Till Their Booked

Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Vacant seats are available for an estimated 150,000 pilgrims residing within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, revealed Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Spokesman Hisham Saeed.

He added that the ministry allowed registration for the vacancies through concerned companies.

However, Saeed noted that the process of verifying the controls is ultimately done via e-track.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Saeed warned that the availability of Hajj vacancies is much lower than what is being advertised in the media.

He also explained that the vacancies are a product of personal complications that may be facing prospective pilgrims who were registered earlier.

Saeed reminded that the ministry did not dispense with any of the previously announced conditions and regulations for accepting the requests of registered pilgrims residing within Saudi Arabia.

He affirmed that registrations would keep getting vetted via e-track until all vacancies are filled.

In other news, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that it will secure alternative flights and provide additional seats for pilgrims coming from Britain, the US, and Europe.

In cooperation with relevant authorities, visas will also be “issued immediately to the pilgrims entering the Kingdom as part of the efforts”.

This comes after people faced technical issues while applying for hajj via a new electronic portal called Motawif and had several issues including no access to the limited seats on flights.



Saudi Foreign Minister Receives Yemeni Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba. (SPA)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Receives Yemeni Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba in Riyadh on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan congratulated Al-Zouba on her appointment, expressing his aspiration to continue joint efforts between the two countries in a manner that serves their interests and enhances stability in the region.

The meeting reaffirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's steadfast position in supporting the security and stability of the Republic of Yemen. The two sides also discussed developments in the region and several topics of mutual interest.


MWL Condemns Israel’s Rejection of Gaza Peace Plan and Palestinian Statehood

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
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MWL Condemns Israel’s Rejection of Gaza Peace Plan and Palestinian Statehood

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

The Muslim World League (MWL) strongly condemned Israel’s rejection of the Road Map for implementing US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, as well as its rejection of Palestinian statehood, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

In a statement issued by MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, he denounced the rejection, describing it as a continuation of Israel's persistent policies of violating international laws and UN resolutions and undermining all peace efforts.

Al-Issa stressed the urgent need to compel Israel to fully comply with the commitments stipulated in US President Donald Trump's Comprehensive Plan and its accompanying Road Map, and to move forward with implementing the plan's second phase while preventing any party from obstructing its implementation.

He also expressed strong support for the statement issued in this regard by the foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Türkiye, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

He commended their steadfast solidarity with the Palestinian people and firm support for their legitimate rights, foremost among them the right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state in accordance with the two-state solution and relevant international resolutions, as the only path to achieving a just and lasting peace in the region.


Trump Welcomes Makkah Agreement, Calls it ‘Big, Bold’ Step

07 August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Makkah: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sign the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. Photo: -/PPI via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
07 August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Makkah: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sign the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. Photo: -/PPI via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Trump Welcomes Makkah Agreement, Calls it ‘Big, Bold’ Step

07 August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Makkah: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sign the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. Photo: -/PPI via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
07 August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Makkah: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sign the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement. Photo: -/PPI via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he was pleased by the recent signing of a defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.

"Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement," he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way," he wrote, calling it a "BIG, BOLD, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP."

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the agreement on August 7.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said the pact meant an attack on any member would be regarded as an attack on all, adding it was "intended to strengthen collective deterrence."

The agreement declared a "shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond."