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SPA RIYADH, April 14 - Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior has announced penalties for violating Hajj permit regulations ahead of the 1447 AH pilgrimage season, including fines, deportation and possible confiscation of transport used to carry offenders, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. The ministry said anyone caught performing or attempting to perform Hajj without a permit could face a fine of up to 20,000 riyals ($5,332). The same penalty applies to holders of vi

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, takes his seat, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Islamabad, for a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance about Iran. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) RIYADH/ISLAMABAD, April 14 - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday on recent talks between the United States and Iran and said he would visit Saudi Arabia and Turkey this week to support peace efforts, according to a statement from the pres

SPA RIYADH, April 13 - Saudi Arabia's Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority said it had recorded 55 new wildlife births in the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve by mid-second quarter 2026, in a sign of wildlife recovery and the success of protection and reintroduction efforts. The authority said the births included nine Arabian oryx and 46 sand gazelles, also known as Reem gazelles. Of the total, 40 births were r

RIYADH, April 13 - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Monday to discuss what Tehran described as risks stemming from provocative U.S. actions to block Iranian ports, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. In his call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Araghchi said Iran had acted in good faith by accepting a ceasefire with the United States, but accused Washington of undermining negotiat

SPA RIYADH, April 13 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held a phone call on Monday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss the latest developments following recent peace negotiations between Iran and the United States. The call focused on diplomatic developments after the talks, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. No further details were announced.

SPA RIYADH, April 13 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior said residents wishing to enter Makkah will be required to obtain official permits starting Monday, April 13, as the Kingdom begins implementing arrangements for the 1447 AH Hajj season. The ministry said residents without the required permits would be denied entry to Makkah. Exemptions apply to holders of residency permits issued in Makkah, those holding a Hajj permit, and individuals wit

SPA RIYADH, April 13 - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met South Korean presidential chief of staff and special envoy Kang Hoon-sik in Riyadh, where the two discussed bilateral cooperation and regional developments, Saudi state media reported. The meeting covered ties between the two countries as well as developments in the region and their implications for regional security and the global economy.

RIYADH, April 12, 2026, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - Saudi Arabia has restored full pumping capacity through its East-West pipeline and recovered lost output at the Manifa oilfield following attacks that disrupted parts of the kingdom’s energy infrastructure, the Energy Ministry said on Sunday. The ministry said operational and technical teams had restored the pipeline’s full pumping capacity of about 7 million barrels per day within a short period, according to a statement c

SPA RIYADH, April 12, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - Saudi Arabia recorded 15,458 violations of residency, labor and border security laws during inspection campaigns conducted across the kingdom between April 2 and April 8, the Interior Ministry said. The violations included 8,440 related to residency laws, 4,054 to border security and 2,964 to labor regulations, the ministry said in a statement. Authorities arrested 1,600 people attempting to enter the kingdom illegally, incl

SPA RIYADH, April 11, 2026, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - The Ministry of Defense announced today the arrival of a military force from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector, in implementation of the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement signed between the two countries. The force includes fighter and support aircraft from the Pakistani Air Force and aims to strengthen joint military coordination and enhance operational readiness between

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia has confirmed attacks on its oil and gas facilities, including the key East-West Pipeline, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday, citing an unnamed official at the Ministry of Energy. The report did not say when the attacks took place, but said one Saudi national was killed and seven others were wounded. SPA said the recent attacks on the kingdom’s energy infrastructure had significantly affected both oil production and transport, disrupt

SPA RIYADH, April 9 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a written message from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday on matters of mutual interest between the two countries. The message was received by Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral International Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi during a meeting in Riyadh with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kozlov. The two sides also reviewed bilateral relations and discussed r

SPA RIYADH, April 9 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday, with the two sides discussing current developments and steps to reduce tensions and restore regional security and stability. The call came as regional diplomacy intensified around efforts to contain the fallout from the Iran war and prevent a wider escalation. It was the first publicly announced contact

SPA RIYADH, April 8 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a written message from Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares regarding bilateral relations and ways to support and strengthen them across various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. The message was received by Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral International Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi during a meeting in Riyadh with Spain’s

RIYADH, April 8 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that nine drones had been intercepted and destroyed in the past hours, according to a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. Ministry spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki made the statement without providing further details on the drones’ origin or target.

RIYADH , April 8, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - Saudi Arabia welcomed the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, the Saudi foreign ministry said. "The Kingdom affirms its support for the mediation efforts undertaken by Pakistan to reach a permanent agreement that achieves security and stability and addresses all issues that have caused instability over several decades.

SABN The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia said it is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and urged American citizens in the Kingdom to stay alert, follow local authorities’ instructions, and review the latest embassy guidance to make decisions about their safety. In its latest advisory, the embassy said President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the US Department of State consider the safety and security of American citizens their highest priority.