Iran awaits proposals from Mecca Agreement states
Iran has not been officially invited to join the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said.
Mecca
Trump supports signing of Mecca agreement
The U.S. views the Mecca Agreement as a demonstration of how Middle Eastern states are uniting and can defend themselves, U.S. President Donald Trump said.
Mecca defense pact could be expanded
Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia are open to expanding their new Middle Eastern defense alliance, Ankara said.
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign defence deal
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye have signed a joint defence agreement, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said, deepening security cooperation amid heightened military tensions and conflicts in the Middle East.
Over 400 residents of Karachay-Cherkessia to participate in Hajj 2025
The 2025 Hajj quota was increased for residents of Karachay-Cherkessia
Mecca and Medina hit by severe floods
Saudi Arabia is experiencing unprecedented torrential rains and severe floods that swept across streets and neighborhoods in several cities across the kingdom, as the weather depression is expected to continue for days. The National …
Hundreds of pilgrims die due to intense heat during hajj
At least 550 pilgrims died during the hajj in Saudi Arabia this year, according to diplomats. At least 323 of those who died were Egyptians, most of …
Muslims around the world celebrate Day of Arafah
Muslims from around the world congregated today at Mount Arafat south of Makkah for the most important day of the Hajj - the day of Arafah. The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the hill of mercy, is considered the peak of the …
Millions of pilgrims gather in Mecca
Millions of pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia. Syrian pilgrims arrived in Mecca on direct flights from Damascus for the first time in many years.
Bus carrying pilgrims to Mecca crashes in Saudi Arabia
At least 20 people have been killed in Saudi Arabia when a bus overturned and caught fire, state broadcaster al-Ekhbariya reports. The bus was carrying passengers to the holy city of Mecca, including pilgrims going to perform the Umrah, …
Saudi Arabia to allow one million pilgrims
Saudi Arabia has decided to increase the annual number of Hajj pilgrims to 1 million people, the Saudi Press Agency with reference to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reports. Not only about the subjects of the kingdom, but also …
Saudi Arabia has ambitions to be world's fifth most-visited destination
As COVID-19 vaccination programs roll out across the world, tourism-dependent countries are feverishly hoping that visitors will return to their cleaner-than-ever shores from sometime this year, Nikkei Asia reports. One such country is Saudi Arabia, which now has ambitions to be the world's fifth most-visited destination by 2030. It may be hard to imagine this unlikely newcomer to global tourism outdoing a very affable Italy - the current titleholder with 65 million visitors in 2019 - but then stranger things have happened
Hajj amid pandemic
As few as 1,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia were selected to take part in the hajj this year
Saudi Arabia to bar arrivals from abroad to attend haj
Saudi Arabia said it will bar arrivals from abroad to attend the haj this year due to the coronavirus, allowing only a limited number of Saudi citizens and residents to make the pilgrimage with social distancing measures enforced. …
Saudi Arabia suspends praying in Two Holy Mosques for Ramadan
Saudi Arabia extended the suspension of praying in the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques’ Affairs said on Twitter. …
Mecca and Medina holy sites protected from coronavirus
Saudi Arabia reopened two its holy religious sites, Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and Al-Masjid al Nabawy in Medina, after they were closed for sterilisation to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus. It was not clear from the Al-Ekhbariya …
The world scrambles to halt spread of coronavirus
Saudi Arabia bans foreign pilgrims as Japan plans to close schools
Travel boom in Saudi Arabia
The new investment increased the potential of inbound and outbound tourism of the Kingdom
Kazakhstan's 300 hajj-goers leave for Mecca
3,000 Muslims from Kazakhstan will make the hajj to Mecca this year, the Caucasus Ministry of Social Development's press service said. First 300 hajj-goers have already left Almaty for Saudi Arabia, Interfax-Kazakhstan …
Deaths among Egyptian pilgrims on hajj reaches 35
Egypt's health ministry said Saturday that further deaths among Egyptians while on the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, and during the first and second days of Islam's major festival of Eid Al-Adha, has brought the total number so far to …