Saudi Arabia to host Arab, Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia will convene an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh on Wednesday as regional tensions intensify, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said.

The talks are expected to focus on security coordination and joint efforts to prevent further deterioration across the Middle East.

The meeting comes amid heightened instability following a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28. In the weeks since, Tehran has launched repeated missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf states, Israel and US-linked sites in the region.

The escalation has disrupted air travel and trade, with major airports in the Gulf, including key cargo hubs in Dubai and Doha, forced to suspend operations at various points. Officials have warned that continued disruption could affect the movement of goods, including medical supplies.

Ahead of the gathering, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a series of calls on Tuesday with counterparts in Syria, Algeria, Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Diplomatic sources said the Riyadh meeting is intended to coordinate positions among Arab and Islamic states and explore options to contain the crisis before it widens further.