Middle East

Reacting to a threat-riddled speech by the Israeli prime minister, Hamas resistance movement says Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks will not weaken Palestinians' resolve to defend the al-Aqsa Mosque against the occupying regime's aggression. "Netanyahu’s speech cannot frighten our Palestinian people," the movement's spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Monday, adding that Palestinians "will continue the

The Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has strongly condemned the Israeli raids on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, where the regime’s forces fired stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinian worshipers observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan. GCC Secretary General Jassim Muhammed al-Budaiwi said in a statement that the incessant incursions by Israeli forces into al-Aqsa

Tehran, Apr 9: Saudi officials arrived in Iran to discuss procedures for reopening Riyadh’s embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad, the Saudi foreign ministry said on Saturday. Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to end their diplomatic rift and reopen their diplomatic missions in March, after China brokered a deal to restore relations between the two countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping helped

Dubai, Apr 6: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian have issued a joint statement at the end of their meeting in Beijing on Thursday. This was the first formal meeting of the countries’ most senior diplomats in more than seven years. The joint statement mentioned, among other things, the resumption of flights between

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday. During the phone call, the ministers discussed issues of common interest and “the next steps in light of the recent tripartite agreement.” Last month, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies

Riyadh, May 28: At least 20 Umrah pilgrims were killed and 29 injured after a bus crashed southwest of Saudi Arabia on Monday, Dubai-based Gulf News reported. The bus hit a bridge, tipped over, and caught fire. The accident, which occurred due to a brake failure, took place on the road joining Asir province and the city of Abha, Gulf News reported. The victims were on their way to Makkah to perfom

Jerusalem, Mar 27: Muslim worshipers have been forced out of the sacred al-Aqsa mosque as Israeli forces and extremists stormed the vicinity of the mosque on the fourth day of the Holy month of Ramadan. Video footage circulating online showed that Israeli soldiers and extremist illegal settlers forced Muslims from the holy place late on Sunday. The large groups of Israeli radicals – whose

Damascus, Mar 24: The US military has carried out multiple airstrikes in eastern Syria in another flagrant breach of Syria’s sovereignty, killing a number of Syrian military forces. The US military earlier alleged that Iran-aligned groups carried out a drone attack on a US-occupied base in northeastern Syria. A US contractor was killed, another was injured, and five US troops were wounded in the

Damascus, Mar 22: An Israeli airstrike early Wednesday targeted the international airport of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, causing material damage in the second attack on the facility this month, state media report. State news agency SANA, quoting an unnamed military official, did not mention if the strike caused any deaths or injuries. It said warplanes fired the missiles toward Aleppo

Jeddah, Mar 22: Pilgrims who wish to perform the Muslim Umrah ritual are now required to reserve an appointment via the Nusuk or Tawakkalna apps, the Saudi interior ministry announced on Tuesday. “The Umrah security plan for (this) year included managing and organizing crowds and traffic, providing humanitarian services, supporting and empowering the entities participating in implementing the plan