Tag: Saudi

Iran, Saudi to exchange envoys after reopening embassies

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Tehran: The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that Iran and Saudi Arabia will exchange ambassadors after the reopening of their diplomatic missions.
Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that the Saudi team arrived in Iran on Saturday to lay the groundwork for the reopening of the kingdom’s embassy in Tehran and consulate general in the northeastern city of Mashhad, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a report by Iran’s official news agency IRNA.
He added that the Iranian delegation will soon travel to Saudi Arabia for the same purpose ahead of the scheduled reopening of Iran’s embassy in Riyadh and its consulate general and representative office to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah.

Following the signing of a joint statement by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Beijing on Thursday, the two countries have practically resumed official diplomatic relations, Kanaani said.
Praising China for its “goodwill and positive approach” and “constructive role” in the normalisation of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Kanaani said Beijing had helped complete the diplomatic process that started in Baghdad and Muscat, and bring about a “constructive transformation” in relations between Tehran and Riyadh.
During their meeting in Beijing on Thursday, the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers agreed to lay the groundwork for the exchange of economic delegations from public and private sectors, and hold meetings between their joint economic commissions, according to Kanaani.
Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a deal in March to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions in the two countries within two months.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.

(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 11, 2023
Rapprochement with Saudi to positively impact on regional peace, stability: Iran

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Tehran: The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia will have positive impacts on regional peace, stability and security.
Making the remarks at his first press conference in the current Iranian calendar year, Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that the Beijing-brokered agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to normalize ties has met with “very positive reactions” in the region, and welcomed at the international level, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a report by Iran’s official news agency IRNA.
The agreement would definitely have positive impacts on strengthening regional cooperation, so as to foster peace, stability and security in the region, as well as on boosting trade and economic relations not only between Iran and Saudi Arabia but also with other regional countries, Kanaani noted.

Meanwhile, he said that Iran and Saudi Arabia will exchange ambassadors after the reopening of their diplomatic missions.
China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran announced on March 10 that the latter two had reached a deal that includes the agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and diplomatic missions within two months.
In a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.

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#Rapprochement #Saudi #positively #impact #regional #peace #stability #Iran
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 11, 2023
Iranian secure top spot in Saudi Quran recital contest, wins Rs 6 crore

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Tehran: Iran and Saudi Arabia took first place in the Quran and Call to Prayer recitation competition held in the Kingdom on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Iranian contestant Younes Shahmoradi won first place in the Quran recitation section. He was awarded 3 million Saudi riyals (Rs 6,55,37,113), followed by Abdulaziz Al Faqih from Saudi Arabia who received 1.87 million Saudi riyals (Rs 4,08,51,467).
Mohammad al-Sharif from Saudi Arabia won in the Call to Prayer category taking home 2 million Saudi riyals (Rs 4,36,98,817). Indonesian contestant Diaa al-Din bin Nizar al-Din took second place winning one million Saudi riyals (Rs 2,18,49,168).

Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the General Department of Entertainment of Saudi Arabia, handed over the prizes.
The General Entertainment Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched the competition, known as “Aatr Al Kalam” or “Perfume of Words” in English in 2019 to celebrate “exceptional vocal talents in Quranic recitation and the Call to Prayer.”
During the final, the program received six Guinness World Records certificates. These included the recognition of the largest Quran competition in terms of participating countries, the largest various competitions, and the largest prizes for the Quran and Call to Prayer competitions.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 10, 2023
Eid Al-Fitr 2023: Saudi announces holidays for private sector

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Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on Monday announced a holiday for the private sector and non-profits for Eid Al-Fitr 2023.
The Eid Al-Fitr holiday will begin in the Kingdom at the end of the working day on Thursday, April 20, for four days.
The announcement of the holiday was made by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development on Twitter.

Thus, employees will enjoy extended leave in addition to the usual Friday and Saturday weekend before resuming work in some offices on Thursday, April 27.
Eid Al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramzan, which began on March 23.
About Eid Al-Fitr
Eid Al-Fitr is one of the most important Islamic holidays celebrated by Muslims all over the world. This holiday marks the end of Ramzan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. It is a time of joy and celebration, as families and friends gather to enjoy the festivities.
Eid Al-Fitr is usually celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. However, the exact date varies depending on the sighting of the new crescent. This festival lasts for three days and is a time of forgiveness, compassion and gratitude.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 10, 2023
Iranian team to visit Saudi to prepare for embassy reopening

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Tehran: A technical team from Iran will “probably” travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to prepare for the reopening of the Iranian embassy in Riyadh.
The team would visit the building of the Iranian embassy and prepare the ground for its reopening, Xinhua news agency reported.
Alireza Enayati, a Director General of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, confirmed that an Iranian technical delegation will visit Saudi Arabia “this week” to do the preliminary work for the embassy’s reopening, without giving the exact date of the trip, the Iran Press news agency on Sunday reported.

On Saturday, a technical delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived in Iran to assess the situation and discuss the procedures for the reopening of the Saudi embassy and consulate general in the country, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement in Beijing, announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 10, 2023
Saudi: Grand Mosque witnessed over 1 million pilgrims, worshippers on night of Ramzan 17

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Riyadh: The Grand Mosque in Makkah Al-Mukarramah has witnessed on the night of the 17th of Ramzan, Saturday, over one million Umrah pilgrims and worshipers, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has prepared 5,000 regular vehicles and about 3,000 electric vehicles, and linked them through a transportation application— Naql.
In addition to employing 200 qualified Saudi supervisors to follow up on field work for 4,000 male and female workers.

The fieldwork included washing the Grand Mosque 10 times a day and preparing 7,000 bottles of Zamzam water, which are distributed to visitors through 800 workers.
In addition, 4,500 containers of Zamzam water were distributed throughout the Grand Mosque, consuming about 500,000 litres.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 9, 2023
Saudi: Several entrances, exits opened in Grand Mosque amid surge of pilgrims

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Riyadh: The authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have opened more entry and exit points at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, to reduce crowding and deal with the increase in the number of worshippers during Ramzan, local media reported.
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques provided five other entrances to the chapel on the ground floor at the site, an entrance to the Ajyad Bridge, three other entrances to the stairs, and another entrance to the places of prayer on the first floor and the surface.
“The entrances and exits have been opened to prevent over-crowding inside the prayer areas,” head of the Worshipper Crowd Department Khalaf Al Otaibi was quoted as saying by Arabic daily Okaz.

He added that when the prayer places inside the mosque reach their full capacity, the worshipers are directed to the chapel of the third expansion of the mosque as well as its outer courtyards.
Due to an increase in the number of worshipers at the mosque, home to the Kaaba, the Saudi General Directorate of Public Security on Friday advised worshipers to perform their weekly noon prayers at other mosques near their homes to help ease crowding at the holy site.
The month of Ramzan usually marks the peak of the Umrah season at the Grand Mosque.
In recent months, Saudi Arabia has revealed a large number of facilities for Muslims wishing to come to the country to perform Umrah.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 9, 2023
Saudi delegation arrives in Yemen to hold ceasefire talks with Houthi rebels

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Sanaa: A Saudi delegation arrived in the Yemeni capital here to hold ceasefire talks with the Houthi militia, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported on Sunday.
The Saudi delegation arrived along with Omani officials to meet here with Mahdi al-Mashat, chairman of the Houthi’s political council, for discussion of arrangements to renew the ceasefire deal that ended in October 2022, said the report, Xinhua News Agency reported.
“The move came as part of Oman’s mediation efforts to bring peace to Yemen,” it said.

Oman, which borders both Yemen and Saudi Arabia, has actively engaged in brokering a truce in Yemen in coordination with the UN peace efforts.
Muhammad al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Yemeni Shura Council and a prominent leader in the Houthi group, told Xinhua that Muhammad Al Jaber, Saudi ambassador to Yemen, arrived on Saturday as the head of the Saudi delegation to Yemen’s capital.
Also on Saturday, the Houthi group said it had received 13 prisoners of war released by Saudi Arabia in exchange for a Saudi prisoner the group said it released earlier.
Peace efforts to end the war in Yemen have been increasing, particularly after recent Chinese efforts to ease tensions and restore diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The conflict in Yemen erupted in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern cities and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the Yemeni government.
The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million, and pushed the country to the brink of starvation.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 9, 2023
Saudi Arabia ranks second globally in society awareness of AI

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Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked second in the world in societal awareness of artificial intelligence, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
A survey within the Artificial Intelligence Index, in its sixth edition, issued by the American Stanford University, on Thursday, revealed a high rate of confidence of Saudi citizens in dealing with artificial intelligence products and services in the Kingdom.
The Kingdom came after China, which ranked first in terms of positivity and optimism of Saudi citizens towards artificial intelligence products and services provided in Saudi Arabia during the current and future phases.

The survey included a number of criteria, the most important of which was the extent of “society’s knowledge of the benefits and value of artificial intelligence products and services.”
Saudi Arabia came in first place in the world, equal to China and ahead of South Korea and America, in a question about “the positive impact of artificial intelligence products and services on the lives of respondents in the survey during the next 3-5 years.”
Saudi Arabia ranked second in the world, ahead of South Korea and Brazil, when it came to talking about “whether artificial intelligence products and services will make the lives of the respondents easier.”
It also ranked second globally, ahead of India, France and Russia, when respondents were asked “about their knowledge of the benefits and value of artificial intelligence products and services.”
Efforts in Saudi Arabia to develop artificial intelligence do not stop, and Riyadh announced, in 2021, that it aims to establish 400 companies in the field of artificial intelligence and contribute to attracting investments in this field, during the next 10 years, estimated at 80 billion Saudi Riyals.

The head of the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence, Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, said in 2022, that by 2024, 70 per cent of institutions in the Kingdom will use AI-based infrastructure and smart cloud services to activate artificial intelligence.
More than 50 per cent of organizations use hosted AI services; to enhance its application portfolios by 2023, according to Al-Ghamdi.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 9, 2023
Saudi Arabia frees 13 Houthi prisoners as Omani officials visit Sanaa

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Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has released 13 Houthi prisoners, in exchange for a Saudi prisoner who was released earlier.
The release on Saturday came as Omani officials arrived in the Yemeni capital Sanaa as part of international efforts to end the years-long conflict in Yemen.
The head of the National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, Abd al-Qadir al-Murtada took to Twitter on Saturday, wrote, “Today, we received 13 Houthi prisoners and detainees who were released by the Saudi authorities in Sana’a International Airport in exchange for a Saudi prisoner whom we released earlier.”

He adds, “We hope that this step will be a prelude to the implementation of the deal agreed upon at the end of this week.”
Al-Murtada said, “The prisoners released today from Saudi prisons are part of the deal agreed upon by the United Nations.”
Al-Murtada indicated that the rest of the steps related to the full implementation of the deal will be completed next Thursday.
استقبلنا اليوم في مطار صنعاء الدولي 13 أسيراً ومعتقلاً أفرجت عنهم السلطات السعودية في مقابل أسير سعودي أفرجنا عنه في وقتٍ سابق.
ونأمل أن تكون هذه الخطوة مقدمة لتنفيذ الصفقة المتفق عليها نهاية هذا الإسبوع ان شاءالله. pic.twitter.com/eX1r6WQcXO
— عبدالقادر المرتضى (@abdulqadermortd) April 8, 2023
الأسرى المفرج عنهم اليوم من السجون السعودية
هم جزء من الصفقة المتفق عليها عبر الأمم المتحدة
ويوم الخميس القادم إن شاءالله سنستكمل بقية الخطوات بالتنفيذ الكامل للصفقة.
— عبدالقادر المرتضى (@abdulqadermortd) April 8, 2023
On March 20, 2023, the Yemeni government announced an agreement with the Houthi group to release 887 prisoners and abductees from both sides, including Saudis and Sudanese, at the conclusion of consultations held in Switzerland regarding the exchange of prisoners between the two parties.
In March 2022, the Yemeni government signed an agreement with the Houthis under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) to exchange more than 2,200 prisoners from both sides, but the process of their release stalled amid mutual accusations of obstructing it.

During consultations in Sweden in 2018, the two parties submitted lists of more than 15,000 prisoners, detainees and abductees, but no accurate official count of numbers is available after this date.
Yemen is suffering from a war that began after the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and several provinces at the end of 2014, and the conflict escalated since March 2015, after an Arab military coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened to support the legitimate government forces, in the face of the Iranian-backed Houthi group.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 9, 2023