Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Saudi prince's tour, reforms eclipsed by Khashoggi case

Saudi prince's tour, reforms eclipsed by Khashoggi case

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince was visiting the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, the second stop of his high-profile tour of Gulf Arab states aimed at fortifying the kingdom’s traditional alliances as rival Iran resumes nuclear negotiations with world powers.
Mohammed bin Salman’s tour kicked off just after the kingdom hosted its first ever Formula One race and as its first international film festival was underway — events showcasing Saudi aspirations to be a cultural stomping ground and sweeping social reforms following decades under ultraconservative norms.

Looming over the week’s events, however, has been the 2018 murder of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi who was killed at the hands of agents who worked for the crown prince.

Khashoggi’s slaying was again brought into sharp focus when French authorities said Tuesday that a suspect in his killing was arrested at an airport near Paris, only to acknowledge a day later that the man being held was not the same one wanted in connection with the case. Saudi Arabia had maintained that the man in question was misidentified and had called for his immediate release.

Still, news of the arrest came at a sensitive time for Prince Mohammed, who arrived to the UAE’s seat of power, Abu Dhabi, late Tuesday to discuss bilateral ties, persistent tensions with Iran, the ongoing war in Yemen and other regional crises. The prince has been empowered by his father, King Salman, to manage the country’s day-to-day affairs.

The visit comes just days after the UAE’s national security adviser traveled to Tehran for a rare face-to-face meeting with Iran’s president. Saudi Arabia has also held direct talks with Iranian officials in Iraq.

In Abu Dhabi, state media reported that Prince Mohammed and the emirate’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed “lauded the strong brotherly relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, emanating from their belief in the shared destiny.”

“We are confident that together, we will be able to confront all challenges in the region and to maintain our common interests and the welfare of our peoples,” the Abu Dhabi crown prince, once seen as a mentor to the Saudi crown prince, was quoted in state media as saying during their meeting.

The traditional allies, however, have been increasingly competing for regional clout and investments as their foreign policies diverge.

On Wednesday, the Saudi crown prince visited his country’s pavilion at the World’s Fair in Dubai, where he met Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Saudi pavilion on the multi-billion dollar site of Expo 2020 is second in size to the host nation’s falcon-shaped pavilion. Saudi Arabia is bidding to host the World’s Fair in 2030.

The crown prince began his regional outreach on Monday in Oman, which has maintained a policy of neutrality that’s allowed it to serve as a back channel for talks between regional rivals.

The crown prince is expected to visit Qatar next, following a rebuilding of ties that ended a deeply divisive standoff among the energy-rich Gulf Arab states. He will conclude his tour in Bahrain and Kuwait.

After initial Western criticism over Khashoggi’s killing in 2018 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, big name investors, celebrities and sports stars have been making their way to Saudi Arabia in events organized and spearheaded by authorities ultimately overseen by Prince Mohammed. They’ve rebuffed calls by human rights organizations to boycott these events in protest of the ongoing crackdown against critics.

Earlier this week, celebrities such as Hillary Swank, Catherine Deneuve, Clive Owen and others were photographed on the red carpet at the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival.

At the time of his killing, Khashoggi had been writing columns in The Washington Post critical of Prince Mohammed, even as he hailed parts of the crown prince’s social reform agenda.

The fiancée of the slain writer called on pop star Justin Bieber not to preform at the F1′s concert Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jiddah. Bieber took to the stage anyway, singing some of his most popular hits to an excited crowd of young Saudis and international visitors.

The Saudi government says such events showcase the kingdom’s potential and clout, and are tools to modernize the country.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×