JEDDAH — The Council of Ministers reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia will never hesitate to take all measures necessary to protect its security, preserve its stability, and ensure the safety of its citizens and expatriates. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chaired the Cabinet session in Jeddah on Tuesday.In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary stated that the Cabinet praised the advanced capabilities of the armed forces in defending the homeland and safeguarding its assets and resources.The Council pledged its support for the outcomes of the emergency meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) interior ministers held in Riyadh, which affirmed that Gulf security is indivisible and stressed the importance of strengthening coordination to address current challenges and developments in the region. Al-Dossary said the Cabinet reviewed the progress of preparations for the 2026 Hajj season and the achievements of the Pilgrim Experience Program. These achievements include the ongoing coordination and integration among government entities, as well as efforts to enhance services provided to pilgrims through the deployment of human, technological, and organizational resources across Makkah, Madinah, and the holy sites, contributing to greater operational readiness and ensuring the highest levels of comfort and care for pilgrims arriving from within the Kingdom and abroad. The Cabinet commended the efforts of the Ministry of Interior and other government agencies, along with the follow-up of the Supreme Hajj Committee, in facilitating the arrival of pilgrims to the Grand Mosque from their countries through the continued implementation of the Makkah Route Initiative for the eighth consecutive year. The initiative has benefited more than 1.2 million pilgrims to date, and has expanded to 10 countries and 17 international entry points, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing the quality of services provided to pilgrims. The Cabinet was also briefed on the two phone calls of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman with President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. During the call, they discussed areas of cooperation and addressed regional and international developments aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region. The Cabinet affirmed that the establishment of the Saudi-Spanish Strategic Partnership Council represents an important step toward elevating bilateral relations and expanding cooperation horizons in promising economic and investment sectors through joint initiatives and projects with tangible outcomes. On the domestic front, the Cabinet considered the completion of operations at the main stations of the Riyadh Metro project as an extension of the accelerating progress witnessed by the public transport ecosystem in the capital, and an embodiment of the development of an integrated urban infrastructure that contributes to improving quality of life, diversifying modes of transportation, and enhancing reliance on public transport in line with Saudi Vision 2030 targets.The Cabinet commended Saudi students for winning 24 awards at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2026, marking another milestone that reflects the Kingdom's regional and global leadership in innovation and scientific excellence.The Cabinet approved the executive regulations for the Law on the Protection ofWhistleblowers, Witnesses, Experts, and Victims. It also endorsed amendment to the organizational structure of water bottling plants.The Council approved the implementation of the decision of the 46th session of the GCC Supreme Council, held in Bahrain, with regard to adopting the general agreement for connecting the GCC states with the GCC Railway Project. The Cabinet authorized the minister of interior or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in civil defense and civil protection between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, and authorized the minister of culture and chairman of the board of directors of the Museums Commission or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft MoU on cooperation in museums between the commission and the National Foundation of Museums of Morocco. The Cabinet approved a MoU on export development between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The Council authorized the minister of culture and chairman of the board of trustees of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft MoU on cooperation in Arabic language between KSGAAL and the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts.It authorized the minister of finance and chairman of the board of directors of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority or his deputy to sign two draft agreements between the government of Saudi Arabia and the governments of Djibouti and India on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters. The Council approved a MoU on legal and judicial cooperation between the Saudi and Thai ministries of justice and another MoU on cooperation in civil aviation between the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation and the Civil Aviation Authority of Djibouti. The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement between the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and the World Intellectual Property Organization to improve business services in intellectual property offices.