Saudi Cabinet welcomes US-Iran deal to end military operations, hails record Hajj season
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
RIYADH, June 16 (SABN) – Saudi Arabia's Cabinet, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on Tuesday welcomed the agreement between the United States and Iran to end military operations and begin talks toward a permanent settlement, and praised Pakistan and Qatar for their mediation.
HRH the Crown Prince and the Cabinet, meeting in Jeddah, reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's emphasis on restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its state before Feb. 28, and expressed hope that peace would strengthen regional and global security while respecting the internal affairs of countries in the region.
The Cabinet also praised the success of this year's Hajj season, in which more than 1.7 million pilgrims performed their rituals, calling it further evidence of the Kingdom's position as a global model in crowd management and pilgrim services. It thanked the Supreme Hajj Committee and all entities involved for their coordination from pilgrims' arrival in the Kingdom to their safe return home.
State Minister, Cabinet Member for Shura Council Affairs and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed told the Saudi Press Agency the Cabinet reviewed recent talks between Saudi Arabia and several friendly countries aimed at strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation and supporting international efforts for regional and global security.
The Cabinet welcomed the selection of Riyadh as headquarters for the first cybersecurity office established by the U.N. Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), calling it recognition of the Kingdom's leadership in cybersecurity and cyberspace stability.
It also welcomed a statement from International Monetary Fund experts following the 2026 Article IV consultation, which affirmed the strength of the Saudi economy, citing strong fundamentals, ample reserves, diversified oil and logistics infrastructure, and continued Vision 2030 reforms.
The Cabinet praised progress under the National Transformation Program, noting 71% of its 2025 initiatives have been completed, and highlighted gains under the Human Capability Development Program in education, training and workforce competitiveness.
Among other decisions, the Cabinet authorized memoranda of understanding and agreements with Oman and Belarus on civil defense cooperation, Pakistan on mutual recognition of driving licenses, China on customs cooperation, India on cultural cooperation, Canada on mineral resources, Kuwait on health cooperation, Germany on food safety, and Tajikistan on news exchange. It also approved an agreement with the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH) to open a regional office in Riyadh, ratified the Riyadh Design Law Treaty, and approved a law on managing seized and confiscated funds linked to money laundering and terrorist financing.
