Saudi Arabia - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Saudi Arabia cover image

Saudi Arabia

April 21, 2025

Riyadh 8:22 pm

30°C

Excess flammable gasses burning from gas flares at the Havana oil field, west of the multi-ethnic northern Iraqi city of Kirku, Oct. 17, 2017.

Analysis

Why low oil prices under Trump are unlikely to curb Middle East output

Prices stood around $100 a barrel in 2022, under the Biden administration, but hovered between $63 and $66 this past week.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

This handout photo made available by the Iranian Army Office on April 17, 2025 shows Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major-General Mohammed Bagheri (L) receiving Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman (C) in Tehran on April 17, 2025.

Saudi defense chief meets Khamenei in historic Iran visit: What to know

Prince Khalid’s visit marks a further step in Iran and Saudi Arabia’s political reconciliation, but it comes at a tense time in the region, with the second round of US-Iran nuclear negotiations just two days away.

Jakarta

GCC-Indonesia economic ties deepen with Saudi MoUs, joint Qatar fund

Trade between Indonesia and the Gulf is rising and negotiations are underway for a GCC-Indonesia free trade agreement.

Latest News

David Petraeus, ex-CIA head, tapped to lead KKR's push into Mideast markets

Retired US army general, David Petraeus, speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on May 15, 2024.

Analysis

Saudi Arabia-PwC split signals shift to local consultancies: What to know

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: People walk by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) New York headquarters after the company announced a major restructuring on September 12, 2024 in New York City. PwC LLP will let go of up to 1,800 US employees next month as the accounting firm shifts to in-house technology developers and streamlines its advisory practice. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Amal Altwaijri

By Amal Altwaijri

In Washington, DC, reporting on Saudi Arabia

Where Middle East’s top investors stand as tariffs roil US bond market

People walk past the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street on April 11, 2025, in New York City.

China courts Gulf, BRICS allies as trade war with US escalates

GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Jennifer Gnana

Gulf Correspondent

In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Saudi and foreign journalists are pictured at the Future Investment Initiative forum at the King Abdulaziz Conference Center in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Oct. 29, 2019.

Middle East startups see funding fall by 34% in first half of 2024

Although startup funding levels have plateaued globally, MENA reported an increase in early-stage rounds and investor participation.

United Arab Emirates

Officers of the Directorate of Narcotics Control of Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry sort through tablets of Captagon.

Saudi's latest drug bust: thousands of narcotics tablets, 760 pounds of qat

Saudi Arabia is a major destination for the amphetamine Captagon, though seizures have decreased recently due to more enforcement in transit countries like Jordan, according to a recent report.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - MAY 4: Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates after scoring the 2nd goal during the Saudi Pro League match between Al-Nassr and Al Wehda at Al Awwal Park on May 4, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.(Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Analysis

Saudi Arabia's soccer dreams tested as Vision 2030 goal posts move

2023 saw Saudi Arabia take the world of soccer by storm with record-breaking spending on new stars, but those hoping for a repeat performance in 2024 have so far been left disappointed.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images

In navigating return of Taliban, will Saudi reopen embassy in Afghanistan?

If the reported push to reopen materializes, it could help provide some legitimacy to the Taliban government.

The Public Investment Fund, PIF, presence during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 13, 2024, in Indian Wells, California.

What’s behind Saudi Public Investment Fund’s $17.2B profit?

The sovereign wealth fund’s turnaround following the loss in 2022 is due in large part to the stock market rebounding.

Saudi defense chief Khalid bin Salman in Turkey received by his counterpart Yasar Guler in Ankara on July 2, 2024

Saudi defense chief in Turkey, meets Erdogan as drone sales grow

Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a major drone deal last year in one of several recent demonstrations of strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.

This picture taken December 12, 2019 shows a man monitoring the board at the Stock Exchange Market (Tadawul) bourse in Riyadh. - Energy giant Saudi Aramco's market value soared above $2 trillion as its share price surged again on its second day of trading. The valuation milestone was sought by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when he first floated the idea of selling up to five percent of Aramco, the world's largest oil firm, about four years ago. Aramco shares jumped another 9.7 percent to 38.60 riya

Is Saudi Arabia’s $100B foreign investment drive starting to yield results?

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Exterior view from Trump Tower in New York City, on May 31, 2024. Donald Trump became the first former US president ever convicted of a crime after a New York jury found him guilty on all charges in his hush money case, months before an election that could see him yet return to the White House. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Tower deal announced in Jeddah as Saudi business ties grow

The Trump Organization recently unveiled a development in Oman, while Trump’s golf course is again hosting the Saudi-backed LIV Golf this year.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on June 11, 2024. (Source: KSAmofaEN/Twitter/X)

Kuwait doubles down on Saudi ties driven by economics, counter-Islamism

Kuwait's newly appointed crown prince, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah, is expected to advance the already good ties between his country and Saudi Arabia, as the two seek to further their economic prosperity.

ABDEL GHANI BASHIR/AFP via Getty Images

Iran claims Saudi Arabia won't let Iranian pilgrims vote

Iranian worshippers resumed Umrah pilgrimages to holy sites in Saudi Arabia in April after the two countries resumed relations last year.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud meets Zhang Youxia.

Saudi defense chief in China in bid for help with Houthis, boost military ties

China was a major participant in the World Defense Show in Riyadh earlier this year, and Saudi Arabia signed $4 billion in arms deals with the People’s Republic in 2022.

Ground crews prepare an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, powering one of its engines with a hundred per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), for a demonstration flight at the Dubai International Airport in Dubai, on January 30, 2023. - Emirates said it successfully flew a Boeing 777 powered by sustainable aviation fuel today, as the Middle East's largest airline aims to halve its jet fuel consumption. The Dubai-based carrier has used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) since 2017, but said its test flight w

Are GCC states prepared for net zero in aviation?

Kate Dourian

In Dubai, reporting on energy