Within the framework of enhancing cooperation between Saudi Arabia and America, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Saudi citizens have joined the “Trusted Traveler” program, which contributes to facilitating travel procedures to the United States and accelerating entry procedures through its ports.
This step allows eligible Saudi citizens to benefit from the “Trusted Traveler” program, which facilitates entry procedures into America, by accelerating passport and customs procedures, and reducing waiting times at participating ports.
Benefits also include benefiting from the “TSA PreCheck” program, which allows eligible travelers faster and smoother security procedures at participating US airports, enhancing the travel experience and reducing the time spent in departure procedures.
This step reflects the development of cooperation between Riyadh and Washington in the field of facilitating the movement of passengers, enhancing the efficiency of border procedures, and providing a smoother travel experience for Saudi citizens heading to the United States.
The initiative includes procedures for applying via the dedicated website, in accordance with the conditions and requirements approved for each program.
On Tuesday, Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reviewed the situation in the region and regional developments.
The Qatari Emiri Diwan said that the Emir of Qatar met, on the sidelines of an energy forum in Moscow, with the Iranian president. “Developments in the regional situation were reviewed, particularly developments in negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz, and energy supplies.”
Meanwhile, Iranian television said: “The two sides reviewed the current status of relations between Tehran and Doha, and stressed the importance of deepening political and economic relations and taking advantage of the available capabilities to enhance bilateral cooperation.”
Qatar plays a mediating role to stop the current war and crisis in the Gulf region, which broke out following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, and Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region, including Qatar.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow. The meeting was attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, and Abbas Araqchi, Iranian Foreign Minister.
In addition, on Tuesday, Qatar called on Iran to show good faith, stop its threats to the Gulf states, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, considering that these steps are necessary for the success of the mediation efforts aimed at ending the crisis between Washington and Tehran, while it confirmed the continuation of consultations with regional and international partners to reach a peace settlement that ends the escalation in the region.
Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashemi, Director of the Media and Communications Department at the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during the weekly media briefing that “the ball is in Iran’s court” to prove its commitment to the principles of regional security, stressing the need to translate Iranian positions into practical steps that reflect good faith and respect for the sovereignty of states.
Al-Hashemi explained that the Qatari delegation’s visit to Tehran comes within the framework of supporting mediation efforts aimed at defusing the current crisis between the United States and Iran, and reducing the escalation in preparation for ending it peacefully.
Regarding diplomatic efforts to end the US-Iranian crisis, the Qatari official confirmed the continuation of contacts and consultations between mediators and regional and international partners. With the aim of reaching a final solution to the crisis, he stressed the region’s need for a new regional security system that takes into account the sovereignty of states and guarantees their security and stability, explaining that the current movements focus on reducing escalation and creating conditions to end the crisis through peaceful means.
In the context of regional movements, Al-Hashimi stressed that the efforts made by Saudi Arabia and the “Mecca Alliance” countries complement the efforts led by Qatar and Pakistan to reduce the escalation and stop the violence, in reference to the multiple diplomatic paths aimed at containing the crisis.
He added that the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Makkah Alliance countries complement the efforts made by Qatar and Pakistan to contain the crisis, stressing the importance of coordinating regional and international efforts to avoid further escalation and settle differences through dialogue and diplomatic solutions.
Al-Hashemi explained that Doha heard positive statements from the Iranian side regarding establishing a regional security system, but the success of these trends requires stopping the threats directed at the countries of the region and opening the Strait of Hormuz.
He stressed that the region needs a new regional security system based on respecting the sovereignty of states and preserving their security and stability, noting the readiness of Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to proceed with security arrangements based on these principles.
In response to a question about the nature of the messages that the Qatari delegation carried to Tehran, and whether the visit aimed to resume negotiations or prevent a possible American military strike, Al-Hashemi said: “Messages are continuing, and the exchange of ideas is continuing through mediators and in coordination with partners and with both sides of the conflict.”
He added that these efforts aim to find an immediate solution to the crisis that “ends the cycle of conflict in the region,” without revealing specific proposals or indicating a shift in the positions of Washington and Tehran.
Saudi Arabia affirmed its keenness to establish security and stability at the regional and international levels, and stressed the pivotal role of the “Mecca Agreement” countries in establishing security and stability in the region, and supporting the mediation efforts made by Qatar and Pakistan to reduce the escalation, and supporting all endeavors aimed at achieving peace.
During its session, which was chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, the Council of Ministers discussed the contents of the talks that took place between the countries of the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” and senior Iranian officials.
At the beginning of the session; The Crown Prince informed the Cabinet of Ministers of the content of the two letters received by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the content of his reception with French President Emmanuel Macron, and the results of his official discussions with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and what they confirmed of the strength of historical relations between the two countries and the keenness to enhance joint cooperation in various fields.
The Council praised the high capabilities of the air defense systems and their ability to thwart the repeated attempts of the terrorist Houthi militia to target Mecca and Medina and a number of the Kingdom’s cities and facilities. It expressed its condemnation of these criminal attacks as a dangerous aggression against the Kingdom’s sovereignty and the sanctity of Islamic sanctities and a blatant violation of the feelings of Muslims around the world, and affirmed the Kingdom’s legitimate right to firmly defend the security of the Two Holy Mosques. And their destinations, its citizens, and those residing on its land.
The Council of Ministers noted the increase in the rate of localization of military spending in the Kingdom to 27.3 percent by the end of 2025. Exceeding the annual target of 24 percent, with an increase in local content to reach 40.9 percent, which reflects the adequacy of national capabilities and supports complementary work between the public and private sectors and continued progress towards localizing more than 50 percent of total military spending by 2030, God willing.
The Council reviewed a number of performance indicators of the government work system and the progress it has achieved in the areas of management, governance and institutional excellence. In this context, it praised the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development for obtaining a global award from the International Project Management Institute, outperforming 53 entities from 28 countries. By contributing to enhancing the effectiveness of implementing initiatives, achieving goals and aligning them with national priorities.
The Council of Ministers reviewed the topics on its agenda, including topics that the Shura Council participated in studying. It also reviewed the conclusions reached by the Councils of Political and Security Affairs, the Economic Affairs and Development Council, the General Committee of the Council of Ministers, and the Council of Experts in the Council of Ministers regarding them.
The Council decided, during its session, to approve the indicative model for an agreement between Saudi Arabia and the governments of other countries regarding exempting holders of diplomatic or private passports or the like from entry visas, and to authorize the Minister of Foreign Affairs - or his representative - to discuss with the governments of a number of countries the draft agreement and sign it, in light of the indicative model, and a memorandum of understanding with Turkey in the areas of the municipal and housing sectors, and an agreement with India on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters.
He approved a memorandum of understanding in the areas of the municipal and housing sectors between the Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Syria, and a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority and the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Authority in Jordan for cooperation in the field of nuclear safety and security and radiation protection.
The Council authorized the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Digital Government Authority - or his representative - to discuss with the Korean side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Authority and the Ministry of Interior and Safety in Korea for cooperation in the field of digital government. It also approved a cooperation agreement between the Presidency of State Security of Saudi Arabia and the National Security Intelligence in Bangladesh in the field of combating terrorist crimes and its financing, and on the system of commercial transactions, and on the organizational arrangements for the “Royal Institute of Anthropology and Cultural Studies,” and on the roles, specializations, and powers of the authorities in supervision. Inspection and control of electrical toys.
During its session, the Council approved the restructuring of the Board of Directors of the National Water Company, headed by Engineer Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Fadhli, adding the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture to the membership of the committee investigating food poisoning incidents, and approving the final accounts of the Equestrian Authority, the Saudi Export-Import Bank, and the Social Development Bank, for two previous fiscal years.
The Council directed what was necessary regarding a number of topics on the agenda of the Council of Ministers, including annual reports for the Hail Region Development Authority, the Equestrian Authority, the General Ports Authority, the General Authority for Exhibitions and Conventions, the General Corporation for Saudi Arabian Airlines, the General Foundation for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea, the King Abdul Aziz Center for Purebred Arabian Horses, the National Center of Meteorology, the Non-Oil Revenue Center, and the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Development.
