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Saudi Arabia

February 19, 2026

Riyadh 11:47 pm

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Outbound passengers arrive with their luggage at the Emirates check-in counter at the Iranian capital Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, on July 17, 2020.

Airlines cancel flights amid fears of US military action in Iran: What to know

Arrivals at Tehran's airport this week mainly indicated Iranian and Middle Eastern airlines were flying to the Persian country amid heightened tensions with Washington.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, US President Donald Trump's nominee to be ambassador to Israel, testifies during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, March 25, 2025.

Interview

Huckabee confirms US-Israel alignment on Iran, says Hamas will disarm 'sooner or later'

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Al-Monitor in an interview that the 2025 strike on Iranian nuclear sites was only a preview of what the US military is capable of.

FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images

Unfazed by Saudi pressure, UAE unveils solar investment in Somaliland

The UAE also has other significant investments in Somaliland, including around $442 million in funding from logistics company DP World to modernize the port of Berbera.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

UAE’s MBZ appears with Lindsey Graham, dismissing health rumors

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received Lindsey Graham, member of the US Senate. During the meeting at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi,

United Arab Emirates

Saudi-UAE rift complicates Israel's counter-Iran efforts, normalization

This photograph taken on Jan. 20, 2026, organized by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, shows Saudi-backed Yemeni forces in the city of Mukalla in Yemen's coastal southern Hadhramaut province.

Analysis

Turkey courts Saudi Arabia on Kaan, but stealth fighter deal faces hurdles

Photo of a waving Turkish flag in the sky with a jet flyover behind, and a crowd below holding flags, captured on Izmir's liberation anniversary.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

What’s behind Saudi outreach to Ethiopia amid UAE rift?

Ethiopian Prime Ministry

By Rosaleen Carroll

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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

Francesco Schiavi

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

Sabena Siddiqui

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

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeting Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Shara, left, during his arrival on Sunday at the royal palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia pledges $6B investment, to sign 47 deals with Syria: What to know

The event is a milestone for Syria-Saudi relations and the deals coming out of it are expected to help create 50,000 jobs across the country.

BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia to invest $6B in Syria in boost to Sharaa: What to know

The kingdom has been at the forefront of diplomatic and economic efforts to support Syria's recovery.

A man carries the Syrian and the Saudi flags past a billboard thanking Qatar, in Damascus, on May 14, 2025.

Saudi Arabia offers travel permits to Syrian businessmen, investors: What to know

Syrian entrepreneurs can now directly apply for travel licenses at the Saudi Embassy in Damascus, while Saudi investors seeking to visit Syria can register via the Interior Ministry’s e-platform.

A flame from a Saudi Aramco oil instillation known as "Pump 3" is seen in the desert near the oil-rich area of Khouris, 160 kilometers east of the Saudi capital Riyadh, on June 23, 2008.

Saudi crude oil exports hit 3-month high as production soars: What to know

The increase comes as the kingdom is reeling from negative effects of lower oil prices and production boosts from OPEC+ under US pressure.

A picture taken on Dec. 16, 2020 shows towers under construction in Riyadh.

Analysis

Saudi Arabia bets big on foreign property ownership to power post-oil future

The kingdom’s unprecedented policy shift aims to boost real estate investment while navigating religious and social sensitivities.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

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

A picture taken on December 7, 2022 in Riyadh, shows the Chinese and the Saudi flags adorning a street ahead of the Chinese president's visit to the Saudi capital. - Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia this week, meeting the king and de facto ruler of the world's biggest oil exporter. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia's Diriyah awards Chinese firm $1.53B contract: What to know

Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company has awarded a major contract to China Harbour Engineering Company for the development of a Vision 2030 project.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on July 8, 2025, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Iran FM visits Saudi Arabia as kingdom makes push for regional diplomacy

The meeting in Mecca comes as Saudi Arabia steps up its diplomatic engagement with key global powers with the aim of managing regional tensions.