Saudi Arabia

US State Department: Supporting LAF Remains a Priority

US State Department spokesperson Sam Warburg emphasized on Tuesday the United States’ commitment to supporting the Lebanese Army (LAF), stressing that it must “extend its control over every inch of Lebanon.” In an interview with LBCI, Warburg noted that Washington is actively discussing with the Lebanese government the types of economic ...

What Will Donald Trump Do While in the Middle East?

It is no surprise that President Trump's first major foreign trip (not counting the late Pope's funeral) since returning to office will be to the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia was also his first stop in 2017. It is only natural: the center of power in the Arab world rests in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. And the Saudis, Qataris, and Emiratis are his ...

Trump’s Middle East Tour: Diplomacy Under the Billion-Dollar Sign

Donald Trump begins the first diplomatic tour of his second term with a strategic visit to Gulf monarchies. This tour — which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates — aims to strengthen already solid economic ties with these hydrocarbon-rich states, with the hope of securing massive trade and investment deals. Riyadh has ...

Riyadh Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Trump

Donald Trump will begin his Gulf tour in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, where he is set to receive a grand welcome in Riyadh. The visit will focus on boosting investments in defense, energy and artificial intelligence. However, rising tensions with Iran and the ongoing crisis in Gaza loom large over the trip.  

Rubio Urges India and Pakistan to Communicate to 'Avoid Miscalculation'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to restore direct communication to "avoid miscalculation" in a series of calls as the conflict neared all-out war, the State Department said early Saturday. Rubio placed telephone calls to the rivals' top diplomats and, for the first known time since the conflict erupted, also spoke with ...

Araghchi to Visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar Ahead of Trump’s Regional Tour

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday, his ministry said, days before US President Donald Trump begins a regional tour. Araghchi is due to hold talks with senior Saudi officials in Riyadh before heading to Doha for a conference on Arab-Iranian dialogue, ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a ...

Iranian FM to Visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar Before Trump Regional Tour

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday, his ministry said, days before US President Donald Trump begins a regional tour. Araghchi is due to hold talks with senior Saudi officials in Riyadh before heading to Doha for a conference on Arab-Iranian dialogue, ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a ...

France and the Oil Monarchies' Support for Ahmad al-Sharaa

More than ten key players, including states and militias, have been present for many years on Syrian soil: the Syrian army, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah, Russia, the Turkish and American armies in the northwest of the country, the Kurds of Rojava, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by Commander Mazloum Abdi, a former member of ...

The Houthis: Masters of Unassisted Suicide

Amid the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, patterns emerge that we pretend to understand, only for them to slip through our fingers. The latest example: repeated missile launches by Yemen’s Houthis targeting Israel. In this absurd drama, the Houthis have spent the past several months directing their attacks at Israel. Why? To support Gaza, ...

Towards Revitalizing Lebanese Agricultural Exports: Regional Markets Open Up Again

Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani announced a significant step forward in opening up regional markets to Lebanese agricultural products. In a statement to the MTV television channel, he revealed that a large portion of foreign markets are now accessible, and that from May 10, the Jordanian market will once again welcome Lebanese citrus fruits, ...

Minister of Tourism: To Re-Establish Lebanon as a Preferred Tourist Destination for Gulf Countries

Lebanon’s Minister of Tourism Laura Lahoud reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring the country’s status as a top destination for visitors from the Gulf, during a ministerial meeting held on Tuesday at the Grand Serail under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The meeting comes amid renewed efforts by the Lebanese ...