U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off his Gulf tour with a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia, securing a major strategic economic agreement and pledging deep investment ties between the two nations.
U.S. President Donald Trump began his Gulf tour on Tuesday with a ceremonial welcome in Saudi Arabia, where he signed a wide-ranging strategic economic agreement with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The deal, announced during the Riyadh Summit, covers energy, defence, mining, and other key sectors, and is intended to deepen bilateral cooperation as the kingdom pursues economic diversification under Vision 2030.
Saudi state media said the agreement was accompanied by a separate Strategic Economic Partnership Document. The White House confirmed that the kingdom had pledged to invest $600 billion in the United States, including what officials described as the largest-ever defence sales package between the two allies—worth nearly $142 billion.
"I really believe we like each other a lot," Trump remarked during talks with Prince Mohammed, whom he called a friend. The two leaders also participated in the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, where the crown prince hosted a lunch attended by high-level U.S. business figures such as Elon Musk, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
Trump joked that the $600 billion pledge could grow to $1 trillion, echoing comments he made during his 2017 trip to Riyadh, and noted the investment would generate jobs in the United States.
Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih opened the forum by highlighting the shift from oil dependency to innovation, particularly in frontier technologies. NEOM’s Deputy CEO Rayan Fayez said most of the $1 billion in tech-focused Saudi investment has gone to U.S. firms.
Despite its scale, the event notably did not include a stop in Israel, prompting speculation about changing regional priorities. Israeli officials have expressed concern, especially as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces pressure from Washington to accept a ceasefire and consider a two-state solution amid the ongoing Gaza war.
Meanwhile, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said efforts to expand the Abraham Accords were ongoing, though sources say progress with Saudi Arabia is unlikely under the current Israeli stance. Trump is also expected to offer Riyadh an arms package exceeding $100 billion, further cementing defence ties with the kingdom.
Separately, U.S. and Iranian officials met in Oman to discuss Tehran’s nuclear programme, with Trump maintaining the possibility of military action if talks fail. Israeli operations against Hamas and Hezbollah, and the targeted killings of their leaders, have increased pressure on Iran, giving Trump added diplomatic leverage.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
NATO leaders will meet in Ankara next week for a high-stakes summit focused on defence spending, support for Ukraine and relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, as European allies seek to present a united front despite transatlantic tensions.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck ploughed into a religious procession in north-eastern Thailand, police said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said, as Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure continued to add pressure to fuel supplies inside Russia.
World Athletics has reaffirmed its decision to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes excluded from international competition, saying there has been no meaningful progress towards peace in Ukraine.
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