LONDON: Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said on Tuesday that Iran’s talk of a rapprochement with the Kingdom was laughable.
Al-Jubeir told reporters in London that Tehran would first have to change its policies before any diplomatic thaw could happen.
He was responding to earlier remarks made by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, carried by the Iranian Students’ News Agency, which suggested that diplomatic visits could take place after Hajj.
“The comments of the foreign minister are laughable,” Al-Jubeir said, according to Reuters. “If Iran wants to have good relations with Saudi Arabia, it has to change its policies. It has to respect international law.”
“At this time, we do not see... that they’re serious about wanting to be a good neighbor,” Al-Jubeir said.
He said that diplomatic exchanges with Iran over arrangements for the Hajj did not represent a normalization of relations and that such contacts had nothing to do with politics.
“We had the Hajj season, and when we have the Hajj, we try not to politicize it... But this is not normalization,” he said. “The meetings around the Hajj, have nothing to do with the politics. It’s a religious issue.”
Sara Bazoobandi, a senior lecturer on international political economy at Regent’s University London, said she did not expect any immediate thaw in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran unless circumstances bring an immediate need for dialogue.
“I am quite pessimistic. I don’t think there is going to be a change unless there is an immediate interest involved,” she told Arab News.
Al-Jubeir also said that should the rift between Qatar and the Anti-Terror Quartet — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain — continue for two years, then “so be it.”
Others agreed that the diplomatic rift over Doha's alleged support of terror groups could be a protracted dispute.
A research paper released on Tuesday by a Qatari opposition group in London said that the rift was likely to stretch into 2018, bringing Doha closer to Tehran.
Khalid Al-Hail, spokesman of the Qatari opposition, said the situation is likely to lead to regime change within the Gulf state. “The continued standoff is causing hardship within Qatar, provoking civil unrest and increasingly the likelihood that the emir will be replaced in the near future (through) a coup by members of the ruling Al-Thani family,” he told Arab News.
The Saudi foreign minister visit to London came as fresh concerns about Iran’s controversial nuclear program were raised by President Donald Trump’s envoy to the UN.
Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a speech to a conservative think tank that there was an argument for the US to potentially declare Iran in violation of the nuclear deal. She said that while she did not know what decision the Trump administration would make if the US president did decide against certifying Iranian compliance he would be on solid ground.
Iran has to change its policies for any rapprochement, says Saudi FM
Iran has to change its policies for any rapprochement, says Saudi FM
Hazaa plant flourishes in Saudi Arabia’s northern deserts
- Due to its ability to handle high levels of drought and salinity, Hazaa has proved its ability to survive in difficult climatic conditions
- Plant is known for its captivating aroma, and reaches a height of approximately 35 centimeters
RIYADH: Despite the harsh desert climate in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders province, native plants have found a way not only to survive but to thrive.
Among the local flora is the Hazaa plant, known scientifically as Ducrosia anethifolia.
The plant is native to the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and is part of the Apiaceae family of plants, which includes crops and medicinal plants, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Due to its ability to handle high levels of drought and salinity, Hazaa has proved its ability to survive in difficult climatic conditions.
The plant is known for its captivating aroma, and reaches a height of approximately 35 centimeters.
In addition, its unique appearance comes from its long, oval-shaped gray-green leaves that have sharp points, making the plant easily recognizable among other plants in the wild.
Along with its pleasant smell, the plant produces small, light yellow, umbrella-like flowers during the flowering season, with 12 to 18 flowers on each stem.
The Northern Borders region is also home to other plant species, including Reseda alba, Salsola tetrandra shrubs and lavender.
Kingdom adds 5,969 architectural heritage sites to national register
- Total is now 34,171, reflecting the cultural richness, diversity of all regions
- Sites are added to digital maps for easier management, protection and preservation
RIYADH: The Heritage Commission has registered 5,969 new architectural heritage sites in the National Register of Architectural Heritage, bringing the total to 34,171.
These sites reflect the richness and diversity of architectural heritage across the Kingdom’s regions, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The newly registered sites are: 3,893 in Asir, 761 in Qassim, 499 in Baha, 483 in Makkah, 258 in Riyadh, 60 in Hail, eight in Jazan, four in Jouf, and three in the Eastern Province.
The commission said its registration efforts are ongoing and cover all regions. The process is based on heritage regulations and follows a board decision authorizing the commission’s CEO to register sites.
The initiative aims to protect heritage sites from encroachment or neglect and ensure their preservation for future generations, the SPA reported.
Registering new sites is part of a broader effort to identify, document and manage cultural sites. The sites are added to digital maps for easier management, protection and preservation. A comprehensive database is being built, including documentation and photographic archives.
The commission encouraged citizens and enthusiasts to report urban heritage sites through its reporting platform, X account, or regional branches. It also praised public awareness and participation in preserving national heritage.
Last week, the commission also announced the addition of 744 new archeological sites to the National Antiquities Register, raising the total to 10,061.
The new archeological sites are distributed as follows: Riyadh (253), Madinah (167), Najran (86), Tabuk (72), Asir (64), Qassim (30), Jazan (23), Eastern Province (13), Hail (13), Makkah (11), Jouf (10). and Northern Borders (2).
Saudi royal reserve tightens entry, picnic rules
- Updates aim to protect the environment, vegetation, and wildlife while encouraging ecotourism through public excursions and outdoor activities
- Visitors can access the reserve daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with prior authorization via the authority’s website
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has updated entry and picnic regulations for the Al-Suman and Al-Dahna areas within the location.
The updates aim to protect the environment, vegetation, and wildlife while encouraging ecotourism through public excursions and outdoor activities.
Visitors can access the reserve daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with prior authorization via the authority’s website, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Permit requests must be submitted at least two days in advance and include visitor details, companion information, vehicle type, and a commitment to follow environmental rules.
Registered residents of administrative centers within the reserve are exempt from this requirement, the SPA added.
The authority stressed the importance of complying with regulations, including bans on hunting, wood gathering, open fires, driving over vegetation, littering, noise, visual pollution, and any other harmful activities.
These measures aim to limit environmental damage, especially in ecologically rich areas showing notable recovery in recent years.
The update aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals for royal reserves and the Saudi Green Initiative, which seeks to protect recent environmental gains and promote wildlife and plant growth in thriving basins and meadows.
How Saudi child life specialists are supporting young patients
- Emerging field focuses on welfare of children undergoing medical treatment
- Specialists aim to reduce anxiety by using play, educating patients
RIYADH: When a 9-year-old boy recovering from a kidney transplant refused to turn on the lights or speak to anyone, a child life specialist entered his room and comforted him by playing in the dark. Weeks later, she watched him take his first steps to recovery, both physically and emotionally.
Raghad Al-Salamah, among the first Saudis to work in the child life field, said the genre plays an important role in preparing children and families for the experience of hospitalization.
She told Arab News: “The main focus of child life is helping families and children cope with their hospitalization and cope with their negative experiences.”
Child life specialists provide support tailored to the child’s age and emotional needs, aiming to reduce anxiety through preparation and play-based methods.
Their work includes explaining medical procedures in ways children can understand while creating a more supportive environment in clinical settings.
Al-Salamah said that, over time, the effect of child life services becomes visible in how children approach their treatment.
She said: “I see the impact during hospitalization: I see that in their eyes, I see how they are, how excited they are I’m here, and how they are coping with their illness … And how they are taking their medication, going through their procedure.
“Sometimes they are doing some procedure with no sedation. So, I really see the impact in the eyes of children and their families.”
Al-Salamah added that some families and healthcare providers still confused the role of child life specialists with other professions in the hospital.
She added: “Some of the families, and healthcare providers, don’t understand what child life is and what it’s doing, so they always mix us up with a play therapist or with a social worker or even with a psychologist.”
She explained how specialists work to educate children about the treatment they will receive, helping them cope with any difficulties.
A study titled “Reducing Anesthesia and Healthcare Cost Through Utilization of Child Life Specialists in Pediatric Radiation Oncology” found that the presence of certified child life specialists reduced the need for anesthesia by 16 percent among children undergoing radiotherapy.
Another study, “Benefits of a Family-Centered Approach to Pediatric Induction of Anesthesia,” found that when a family-centered model including child life specialists was used, the need for sedation before procedures dropped from 41 percent to 13 percent.
Al-Salamah said she was drawn to the field to prioritize children’s experience in healthcare, adding: “I always was concerned, and had questions regarding the child who had the diagnosis and would live his life with the diagnosis.
“I was always focusing on educating the children and preparing them for their diagnosis and what they would be going through while they were here in the hospital.”
Expanding the role of child life specialists, Al-Salamah said, could strengthen the overall hospital experience for patients and healthcare teams.
“Most hospitals need to begin integrating child life specialists into their programs,” she said. “It has an impact not only on the children, but also on their families and the healthcare teams. It helps everyone in the hospital.”
While child life remains relatively new in Saudi Arabia, the field is gradually being integrated into pediatric care.
Fadi Munshi, executive director of Abdulrahman’s Oasis, the child life foundation in the Kingdom, said that at the early stages of implementation, many people, including healthcare staff, were unfamiliar with its role.
Munshi told Arab News: “We had to raise awareness and explain how emotional and psychological safety support can make a big difference in a child’s healing.”
Munshi said the response from institutions had been encouraging, and added: “Today, two main hospitals have child life teams, and staff often say they cannot imagine going back. Doctors, nurses and families all notice how children are more relaxed and cooperative during procedures.
“Their experience during the hospital stay is more positive, which eventually helps everyone in the healthcare system.”
He said some hospitals had already made significant progress in implementing these services, while others were continuing to build awareness and training capacity.
“We hope that every hospital in the future (can have these services) and this is one of our main goals: that every single child in Saudi Arabia in every hospital can have this care in the future,” Munshi said.
He added that many families had reported improvements in how their children handled their treatment, and said: “Families often tell us their child is less afraid, more comfortable. They ask specifically for the child life team to be present during some stressful painful procedures.”
Fahd Al-Thunayan, the chairman of Abdulrahman’s Oasis, said child life services played a vital role in improving hospital environments for young patients.
He told Arab News: “Everyone knows the fear and anxiety that comes with entering a hospital — how much more (is it) for a child who doesn’t understand many things?”
Child life specialists help create a more humane treatment environment, he said, using various methods to ease pain and provide emotional support.
He added: “The result is a child who is more comfortable, cooperative and less stressed, which reflects positively on faster recovery and better quality of life in the hospital.”
Al-Thunayan said the foundation continues to support efforts aimed at expanding access to the services across the Kingdom, and added: “We aspire for every hospitalized child to have access to child life specialists who support them psychologically and socially, just as they are treated physically.”
Najran’s Al-Manjam Village showcases centuries of mudbrick heritage
- 7 tall buildings for meetings, storage, horses
- Site has stood for over 300 years, says official
Riyadh: Located on the northern bank of Wadi Najran, the historic village of Al-Manjam showcases distinct mud architecture and is a key cultural landmark in the region.
The village features seven towering mudbrick palaces, each from four to seven stories high. These buildings include a mosque, horse stables, majlises (meeting rooms), grain storage areas, and upper balconies.
The site is enclosed by a thick mud wall with three main gates, preserving its historical significance, according to a recent Saudi Press Agency report.
Rashid Al-Manjam, the village’s supervisor, said the site has stood for over 300 years and has undergone restoration over the past two decades, transforming it into a heritage destination for history enthusiasts and tourists.
Each building reflects distinct architectural styles and functions. The Al-Mashoulq structure has sloping angles and a low roof, while the Al-Murabba and Al-Qasaba buildings are circular that narrow at the top, often constructed on corners for defense.
The Al-Muqaddam, a three-story building with an inner courtyard, serves as both a majlis and storage area.
Constructed from local materials including mud, palm fronds, tamarisk and sidr wood, these buildings illustrate a sustainable relationship with the environment.
Al-Manjam said that ongoing preservation efforts align with Saudi Vision 2030.
The aim is to revive national heritage, empower local communities, and transform heritage villages into tourist destinations, thereby strengthening cultural identity and contributing to the national economy, he said.
