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Gulf

Kuwait to Confront Iraqi Court Ruling on Khor Abdullah

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
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Kuwait to Confront Iraqi Court Ruling on Khor Abdullah

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah discussed the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court's ruling over the Khor Abdullah waterway agreement with his British counterpart James Cleverly.

A statement from the Foreign Ministry reported that the call addressed the bilateral relations and the latest developments in the region.

The statement also mentioned that the call discussed the repercussions of the decision of the Federal Supreme Court in Iraq, which ruled that the law ratifying the agreement regulating navigation in the Khor Abdullah waterway was unconstitutional.

The two officials also touched on Iraq's cancellation of the security swap protocol in Khor Abdullah, signed with Kuwait in 2008, the Ministry concluded.

The Iraqi Parliament and the Kuwaiti National Assembly had previously approved the agreement and submitted it to the UN.

However, the Federal Iraqi Court ruled it “unconstitutional”.

Kuwait's Foreign Minister also discussed the issue with the French Ambassador to Kuwait, Claire Le Flecher, and the Russian Ambassador, Vladimir Zheltov, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry stated that discussion highlighted the implications of the Federal Iraqi Court's decision, the historical fallacies, and Iraq's cancellation of the security swap protocol.

Furthermore, Sheikh Salem addressed the Iraqi court's decision in a meeting with the US Deputy Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Barbara Leaf, in New York ahead of his meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken reaffirmed the US commitment to preserving Kuwati's security and sovereignty and the safety of its territory and the region.

The meeting also discussed the details of the Federal Iraqi Court's decision regarding the Khor Abdullah Maritime Navigation Agreement.

Furthermore, the annual coordination meeting of the Ministerial Council for Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries discussed the court decision in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The Ministers stressed the importance of Iraq's commitment to Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity and respect for international conventions and UN resolutions, especially UNSC Resolution 833 regarding the demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq boundary.

They called for the complete demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq maritime boundary beyond boundary point 162, urging the Iraqi government to resolve the domestic legal status of the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement.

They called on Iraq and the UN to exert maximum effort to resolve all the issues.

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Gulf

Riyadh Reiterates Need for Immediate End to Threats to Bab al-Mandeb, Hormuz Straits

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Riyadh Reiterates Need for Immediate End to Threats to Bab al-Mandeb, Hormuz Straits

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday the Kingdom’s support for efforts to achieve regional and international security and stability and to combat terrorist and its criminal militias.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the Cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The government also underlined the need for an immediate end to all acts that threaten the security of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb and Hormuz Straits.

At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of his talks with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. He also briefed it on the message he received from Sierra Leone’s President Dr. Julius Maada Bio and on his phone calls with Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney and Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The talks covered Saudi Arabia’s bilateral relations with their countries and ways to strengthen them, and underscored the importance of continued coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The Cabinet welcomed the signing of the General Agreement on the GCC Railway Project to connect the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

It commended ongoing efforts to advance strategic cooperation and economic and development integration and to continue implementing the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ vision for strengthening joint GCC action, achieving shared objectives, and meeting the aspirations of the peoples of the GCC countries.

It praised the address of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the opening of the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition. The address highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts to serve the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims and its continued commitment to improving Hajj services by adopting the latest technologies and strengthening coordination among government agencies.

It also highlighted the expansion of the Direct Hajj Program to serve 133 countries and the announcement of new agreements and partnerships to make pilgrims’ journeys easier from their departure from their home countries until their return.

The Cabinet reviewed the overall performance of national sectors and systems in implementing strategies, programs, projects, and initiatives, and the progress achieved in development and prosperity indicators.

It hailed government agencies on winning dozens of international and regional awards across various fields, including health, infrastructure, digital government, and technological innovation, reflecting the state’s support and its commitment to providing these and other entities with every enabler to sustain leadership and excellence and achieve the targets of Saudi Vision 2030.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Discuss Efforts to Bolster Regional Security, Stability

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa meet in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa meet in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Discuss Efforts to Bolster Regional Security, Stability

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa meet in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa meet in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, held talks in Riyadh on Tuesday with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. 

The talks focused on the latest regional developments and efforts exerted towards them to bolster stability and security. 

King Hamad had arrived in the Saudi capital earlier on Tuesday. He was welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by the Crown Prince. 

The talks between the two leaders also tackled the historic ties between their countries and aspects of cooperation and means to bolster and develop them. 

Crown Prince Mohammed underscored the Kingdom’s keenness on deepening the close fraternal relations with Bahrain in all fields. 

For his part, King Hamad hailed the efforts by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed to strengthen ties between their countries. 

He also praised the honorable historic Saudi stances taken towards Bahrain and its people on all occasions. 

He expressed his appreciation for the Saudi leadership’s efforts in developing collective Gulf work and its pioneering role in supporting the pillars of security, peace and stability in the region. 

Gulf

What Does the Approval of an Advanced Command for the Unified Military Command in Kuwait Signify?

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman attends the 23rd meeting of the GCC's Joint Defense Council in Manama, Bahrain, November 10, 2026. (SPA)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman attends the 23rd meeting of the GCC's Joint Defense Council in Manama, Bahrain, November 10, 2026. (SPA)
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What Does the Approval of an Advanced Command for the Unified Military Command in Kuwait Signify?

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman attends the 23rd meeting of the GCC's Joint Defense Council in Manama, Bahrain, November 10, 2026. (SPA)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman attends the 23rd meeting of the GCC's Joint Defense Council in Manama, Bahrain, November 10, 2026. (SPA)

GCC defense ministers on Tuesday approved the launch of an advanced command for the Unified Military Command in Kuwait and allocated appropriate forces to it.

The ministers met at the 23rd session of the GCC Joint Defense Council in Manama, chaired by Bahrain's Minister of Defense Affairs and current session president, Lieutenant General Abdullah bin Hassan Al-Nuaimi.

Analysts and observers speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat viewed the step as a significant move toward strengthening joint Gulf security.

Political researcher Dr. Ayed Al-Manna said the announcement was a step that is both necessary and urgent to guarantee collective Gulf security through the presence of forces tasked with protecting GCC states, independent of any internal disputes or differences.

Al-Manna told Asharq Al-Awsat that unprovoked Iranian attacks against GCC states underscored the critical need for constant, comprehensive readiness to deter external aggression.

The Gulf faces multiple threats, led primarily by the Iranian axis and its regional proxies, including militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

However, Al-Manna added that the security challenges extend beyond this, pointing to threats stemming from Israel and concerns surrounding the "Greater Israel" project.

He noted that the lack of stability in several regional countries and “ambitions” of targeting the Gulf, makes it imperative to boost military readiness and activate the unified Gulf force.

This step should have been taken a long time ago to bolster the security of all GCC states, he remarked.

He underscored the importance of equipping Gulf forces with the necessary military components and capabilities to enable them to deter and respond to any external aggression, meeting the collective security requirements of the council's member states.

Former Saudi officer Abdullatif Al Mulhem told Asharq Al-Awsat that establishing the Unified Military Command is a vital step in advancing joint Gulf military cooperation.

It is essential given the region's current security developments, which demand heightened coordination and readiness among the armed forces of the Gulf countries, he said.

Al Mulhem explained that the military significance of the decision lies in the GCC states strengthening the organizational structure of joint military action through an advanced command. This step is expected to boost coordination among Gulf forces and bolster their capacity to handle shared challenges and threats.

Saudi Arabia is expected to host the upcoming meeting of the Joint Defense Council as announced by Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the Manama meeting.