Saudi Arabia Underscores its Keenness on Establishing Regional, Int’l Peace and Stability

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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Saudi Arabia Underscores its Keenness on Establishing Regional, Int’l Peace and Stability

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)

Saudi Arabia underlined on Tuesday its commitment to establishing regional and international security and stability, the pivotal role of the Makkah Agreement states in ensuring regional security, and the Kingdom's support for mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions, as well as for all endeavors aimed at achieving peace.

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

Crown Prince Mohammed briefed the ministers on the letters received by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Crown Prince from President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

He briefed the Cabinet on his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and the outcomes of his official talks with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which underscored the strength of the historic relations between the two countries and their shared commitment to enhancing cooperation across various fields.

The Cabinet discussed the talks held between states party to the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement and senior Iranian officials that were held on Monday.

The Cabinet also commended the advanced capabilities of Saudi air defense systems and their success in thwarting the Houthi terrorist militia's repeated attempts to target Makkah, Madinah, and a number of Saudi cities and facilities.

It condemned these criminal attacks as a grave aggression against the Kingdom's sovereignty and the sanctity of Islamic holy sites, and a flagrant provocation to Muslims worldwide. It underscored the Kingdom's legitimate right to defend with full resolve the security of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, as well as the country's citizens and residents.

The Cabinet hailed the increase in localization rate of military spending in the Kingdom, which reached 27.3% by the end of 2025, surpassing the annual target of 24%, with local content rising to 40.9%. This reflects robust national capabilities and supports integrated public-private efforts, advancing steadily toward the goal of localizing more than 50% of total military spending by 2030.

The Cabinet further reviewed several government performance indicators and progress in administration, governance, and institutional excellence. It praised the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development for winning an international award from the Project Management Institute, outperforming 53 entities from 28 countries, in recognition of its contribution to boosting the effectiveness of initiative implementation, achieving targets, and aligning them with national priorities.



Emir of Qatar, President of Iran Discuss Regional Developments, De-Escalation

27 October 2026, Russia, Moscow: Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at his residence in Moscow, on the sidelines of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). (Emiri Diwan Office)
27 October 2026, Russia, Moscow: Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at his residence in Moscow, on the sidelines of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). (Emiri Diwan Office)
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Emir of Qatar, President of Iran Discuss Regional Developments, De-Escalation

27 October 2026, Russia, Moscow: Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at his residence in Moscow, on the sidelines of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). (Emiri Diwan Office)
27 October 2026, Russia, Moscow: Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at his residence in Moscow, on the sidelines of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). (Emiri Diwan Office)

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday on regional affairs, particularly the latest developments in negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz and energy supplies.

The leaders met ahead of the eighth summit of heads of state and government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) at the World Trade Center in Moscow.

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other officials attended the meeting.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry ‌told a ‌press briefing that Iran should ‌stop ⁠threats against Arab ⁠Gulf states and open the Strait of Hormuz to show good intentions.

Iran needs to show good intentions for mediation efforts to succeed, he said.

Qatar, along with Pakistan, has been mediating between Washington and Tehran in an effort to end the US-Israeli ⁠war on Iran that has ‌disrupted global shipping ‌and oil supplies, and spilled over across ‌other parts of the Middle East.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have sharpened recently, with President Donald Trump saying on Friday the US may strike Iran again.


Saudi Arabia, US Boost Travel Facilitations via the ‘Trusted Traveler’ Program

This step reflects the growing cooperation between Riyadh and Washington in facilitating traveler movement. (Reuters)
This step reflects the growing cooperation between Riyadh and Washington in facilitating traveler movement. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia, US Boost Travel Facilitations via the ‘Trusted Traveler’ Program

This step reflects the growing cooperation between Riyadh and Washington in facilitating traveler movement. (Reuters)
This step reflects the growing cooperation between Riyadh and Washington in facilitating traveler movement. (Reuters)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the inclusion of Saudi citizens in the Trusted Traveler program, thereby facilitating travel and accelerating entry procedures through US ports of entry.

The move allows eligible citizens to benefit from expedited passport and customs processing, significantly reducing waiting times at participating arrival points.

The benefits also include access to the "TSA PreCheck" program, which provides eligible travelers with faster, more seamless security screenings at participating US airports, enhancing the travel experience and reducing departure processing times.

This step reflects the growing cooperation between Riyadh and Washington in facilitating traveler movement, boosting the efficiency of border procedures, and ensuring a smoother travel experience for Saudi citizens heading to the US.


Saudi Arabia, Italy Discuss Efforts to Establish Int’l Security, Peace

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto meet in Riyadh in April. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto meet in Riyadh in April. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Italy Discuss Efforts to Establish Int’l Security, Peace

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto meet in Riyadh in April. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto meet in Riyadh in April. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz held telephone talks on Tuesday with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto.

The ministers reviewed defense cooperation between their countries and discussed regional and international developments, particularly the latest developments in the region and efforts to promote international peace and security.