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Saudi Arabia

July 1, 2026

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Saudi Arabia's FM heads to China amid differences with US on Iran war

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Beijing comes as commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains unstable.

A student attends a training seminar at the Tourism Ministry Training center in the city of Riyadh on August 30, 2022.

Interview

Saudi labor localization will take ‘generation or two': Armada CEO

Around 70% of Saudi Arabia's population is 35 years old or younger, according to the kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics, providing ample opportunity for an educated and technology-savvy national workforce in the coming decades.

Olivier Badard

CEO of Armada Holding

FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images

Explainer

Gulf states push incentives for investors, expats after war dents image

Several Gulf states are working to recover their images as global havens of stability in the wake of the Iran war.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

Interview

Franco-Gulf investment holds firm despite Iran war, French official says

French Trade & Invest Commissioner for United Arab Emirates and Middle East and Business France's regional director for the Middle East Axel Baroux. — Business France

Axel Baroux

France’s trade and investment commissioner for the UAE and Middle East

Saudi Aramco's VC arm sees boom in emerging technologies, retail

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Israel should take Prince Turki's offer on Arab Peace Initiative

Prince Turki Al-Faisal Al-Saud spoke in Brussels with retired Gen. Amos Yadlin about the Saudi initiative for ending the conflict, saying, "Israel has nuclear weapons. … The Arabs aren’t crazy. We want to talk peace."

Saudi princes carry the coffin of Crown Prince Nayef inside the Grand Mosque in Mecca June 17, 2012. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef, a hawkish interior minister who crushed al Qaeda in the world's top oil exporter, died on Saturday eight months after becoming heir to the throne, paving the way for a more reform-minded successor. REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: POLITICS OBITUARY) - RTR33SCC

Changes in Saudi Defense Ministry a matter of family politics

The leadership of the Saudi Ministry of Defense is being reshuffled quickly, indicating an effort to concentrate power and influence in the hands of the sons of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal attends the opening of an Arab foreign ministers emergency meeting to discuss the Syrian crisis and President Bashar al-Assad's regime, at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, March 9, 2014. The Arab League on Sunday endorsed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's rejection of Israel's demand for recognition as a Jewish state, as U.S.-backed peace talks approach a deadline next month. The United States want Abbas to make the concession as part of effort

Saudi, UAE coordination signals differences with Qatar

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have formed a joint committee to coordinate their regional efforts, with Egypt and Libya topping the agenda.

An Egyptian soldier stands near the Egyptian national flag and the Israeli flag at the Taba crossing between Egypt and Israel, about 430 km (256 miles) northeast of Cairo, October 26, 2011. Israel and Egypt said on Monday they have struck a deal to swap 25 Egyptians in Israeli custody for a U.S.-Israeli dual national accused by Cairo of espionage, in a step seen as easing strains between the strategic neighbors. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El-Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) - RTR2T7XN

Israel-Egypt anti-terrorism cooperation at zenith

Israel adapts to a new alliance structure based on common security interests, and in anticipation of a nuclear Middle East.

Supreme leaders of Iran, the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (L) and Ayatollah Ali Khameni (R), are seen on the top of a hill from the Turkish side of the border near the Esendere crossing between Turkey and Iran on June 25, 2012 in Yuksekova, a district of the Turkish province of Hakkari. AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/GettyImages)

Turkey locked in regional rivalry with Iran, Saudi Arabia

Differences over Egypt and Syria are far from resolved, despite some feints at strengthening regional cooperation.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal attends the opening of an Arab foreign ministers emergency meeting to discuss the Syrian crisis and President Bashar al-Assad's regime, at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, March 9, 2014. The Arab League on Sunday endorsed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's rejection of Israel's demand for recognition as a Jewish state, as U.S.-backed peace talks approach a deadline next month. The United States want Abbas to make the concession as part of effort

Saudi invitation a first step with Iran

Resolving the problems that mar Saudi-Iran relations remain out of reach for now, but Saudi Arabia’s invitation to the Iranian foreign minister to visit the kingdom is an opportunity to calm tensions.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends the annual Munich Security Conference February 2, 2014. REUTERS/Lukas Barth (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX184O0

Iran Foreign Ministry welcomes Saudi overture

Iranian officials have lauded the invitation of Iran's foreign minister to visit Saudi Arabia, but improving relations will take much more than diplomacy.

Fighters from Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) burn confiscated cigarettes in the city of Raqqa April 2, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT RELIGION SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR3JP4Z

Saudis fear Syria blowback after discovering ISIS cell

Fears of jihadist blowback from the Syrian war are starting to be realized after Saudi's discovery of a terrorist cell planning attacks on its soil.

Saudi Prince al-Waleed bin Talal (R) and his wife Princess Amira al-Taweel attend a ceremony for the opening of housing units in the al-Dhafir village, west of Sanaa May 24, 2009. The houses were built by al-Waleed for victims of the December 28, 2005 landslide in al-Dhafir. The landslide killed 65 people and destroyed 27 of the village's 31 houses. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah (YEMEN POLITICS ROYALS SOCIETY) - RTXMPSM

Saudi Royal Court focus of twitter crossfire

The appointment of Prince Muqrin to deputy crown prince has reportedly angered some of the grandchildren of the kingdom’s founder.

A member of Saudi security forces attends Abdullah's Sword military drill as a jet flies by in Hafar Al-Batin, near the border with Kuwait REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: MILITARY) - RTR3N4AM

What message is Saudi Arabia sending with war games?

Saudi Arabia has just finished its largest war games in recent history, signalling its intent to develop its military capabilities in an increasingly unstable region.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (4th L) is pictured after receiving the "King Faisal International Prize" from Saudi King Abdullah (3rd L) in Riyadh March 9, 2010. REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2BFMZ

Saudi Wahhabi leaders see Turkish threat over caliphate

Saudi Wahhabi leaders have gone on the attack to promote what they believe is the sole, Saudi claim to the restoration of the caliphate.

U.S. President Barack Obama waves after addressing Israeli students at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem March 21, 2013. Obama appealed directly on Thursday to the Israeli people to put themselves in the shoes of stateless Palestinians and recognise that Jewish settlement activity in occupied territory hurts prospects for peace. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3FA2G

The myth of Obama’s failure in the Middle East

US diplomacy is actively engaged on all fronts in the region, while the president’s critics offer no feasible alternatives.