Regional diplomatic developments: Saudi-Emirati meetings, Qatari mediation between Washington and Tehran, and warnings in Najran

On Tuesday, Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Defense, received Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Office, who arrived in Riyadh on a fraternal visit.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the fraternal relations between Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, and ways to strengthen and develop them in various fields, in a way that serves the common interests of the two countries and brings goodness to the two brotherly peoples.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed had arrived in Riyadh, where he was received upon his arrival at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The Vice President of the UAE is accompanied during the visit by a delegation that includes Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Saeed Al Neyadi, Chairman of the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, and Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Tawazun Council for Defense Empowerment, along with a number of senior officials.

Qatar announced that the mediators' efforts to end the war between the United States and Iran are currently focused on building common ground between the two sides, stressing the continuation of work to bring positions between Washington and Tehran closer.

Majid Al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, said in a media briefing from Doha on Tuesday that “the effort is currently focused on building common ground between the American and Iranian sides.”

Al-Ansari explained that “the meetings are continuing, and we are within the framework of conveying messages between the American and Iranian sides,” stressing Qatar’s commitment to making efforts to reach a peaceful solution to this crisis and supporting Pakistani mediation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Steve Witkoff, the envoy of US President Donald Trump, and Qatar also worked on indirect communication between the two parties.

Araqchi said on Monday that he expected to receive an official American response on Tuesday, according to what was reported by official media.

He explained that the Qatari mediators he met in New York “presented ideas and we discussed them, and they are scheduled to raise the issue again with the American side, after which the final American response will be conveyed to us.”

Araqchi added, “The Qataris hope that this will happen by tomorrow (Tuesday local time),” adding: “The current focus is exclusively on the Strait of Hormuz, and the reopening of the Strait is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions that we informed the other party about.”

On Tuesday, Iran announced that it was awaiting a response from the United States to its new proposal regarding reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while at the same time threatening to attack infrastructure in the region unless it was allowed to export its oil.

Al-Ansari rejected threats to target infrastructure in the Gulf region, and stressed the need to respect infrastructure facilities in the region, stressing that any threat to them represents a violation of international law.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “We strongly condemn any targeting of infrastructure in the region by any party.”

He added: “This targeting of infrastructure, targeting of energy facilities, and targeting of ships all comes only within the framework of striking the interests of the peoples first and last,” noting that “the peoples of the region do not deserve to be thrown into the furnace of this conflict.”

Regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman called for more efforts to stop Israeli violations, and said: “A double effort must be made to stop Israeli violations in the West Bank and Jerusalem.”

The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed, in a statement on Tuesday, the State of Qatar’s “complete rejection of the Israeli statements regarding the annexation of areas in southern Lebanon, and areas extending to the yellow line in the Gaza Strip,” and stressed that they are considered a blatant challenge to international law and international legitimacy resolutions.

In a statement, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the international community to “assume its responsibilities and oblige the Israeli occupation government to stop its expansionist plans and settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

It affirmed Qatar's "steadfast and supportive position of the Palestinian cause and the steadfastness of the brotherly Palestinian people, which is based on ending the occupation and enabling them to obtain their legitimate rights, foremost of which is the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital." It also affirmed its firm position towards Lebanon and its sovereignty over its entire territory.

The Saudi Civil Defense announced, on Tuesday, that the danger had passed from the Najran region, shortly after an alert was issued through the “National Early Warning Platform for Emergency Situations” to warn of danger in the region.

The Civil Defense called on residents to continue following the instructions issued by it in order to preserve their safety, and to avoid gatherings and photography altogether, indicating the possibility of calling the number “998” in emergency situations.

The Civil Defense had previously announced the launch of a warning from the national platform in the Najran region, and issued a package of safety instructions that must be followed during the warning period, the most important of which is to remain calm and follow official instructions, and immediately go to the nearest safe place inside a building or interior room away from windows, and stay there until the danger has passed.

The instructions included not leaving the house or building until the danger has passed, staying away from exposed places, windows and glass, and not standing on balconies or roofs. He also called on those outside to enter the nearest building or take shelter behind a solid curtain, while avoiding gatherings and photography, and staying away from dangerous sites.

If you receive a warning message while driving, the Civil Defense recommends stopping on the side of the road in a safe place away from bridges and high structures, calling for taking instructions from the competent authorities through official channels, and avoiding circulating rumors or unreliable information.