Thamer Al-Sabhan
Thamer bin Sabhan Al-Sabhan | |
|---|---|
ثامر بن سبهان السبهان | |
| Minister of State for Gulf Affairs | |
| Assumed office 16 October 2016 | |
| Monarch | Salman of Saudi Arabia |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Iraq | |
| In office 2 June 2015 – 16 October 2016 | |
| Succeeded by | Abdulaziz Al-Shammari (chargé d'affaires) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 February 1967 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Alma mater | King Abdul Aziz Military College Naif Arab University for Security Sciences Mutah University |
| Occupation | Soldier, diplomat, politician |
| Awards | Kuwait Liberation Medal (KSA) Order of Excellence and Merit (US DoD) Desert Storm Medal King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellence (Second Class) |
| Military service | |
| Years of service | 1988–2014 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
Thamer bin Sabhan Al-Sabhan (ثامر بن سبهان السبهان; born 23 February 1967) is a Saudi Arabian politician, diplomat, and retired military officer who has served as the country's Minister of State for Gulf Affairs since 2016. He previously served as the first Saudi ambassador to Iraq in over 25 years following the restoration of diplomatic ties in 2015.[1][2]
Early life and education
Al-Sabhan was born on 23 February 1967 in Riyadh to a military family affiliated with the Subay tribe.[3] He completed his secondary education at Prince Sultan Military Academy and earned a bachelor's degree in military science from the King Abdul Aziz Military College in 1988.[1] He later received master's degrees in police and security sciences from the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (2007) and in command and staff studies from Mutah University in Jordan (2008).[4] He also undertook counterterrorism training at the Naval Postgraduate School in California.[5]
Military career
Gulf War and early promotions
Commissioned in 1988 into the Saudi Special Forces, Al-Sabhan led rapid-response teams during the 1991 Gulf War, participating in the liberation of Kuwait.[6][7] He was awarded the Kuwait Liberation Medal and the Desert Storm Medal for his service.[8]
Counterterrorism and strategic leadership
Promoted to colonel in 2005, he led special security operations around key oil installations, including in response to the 2006 Abqaiq attacks.[9] He later became deputy head of counterterrorism operations at the Ministry of Interior, working with the U.S. and U.K. on joint operations.[10]
Al-Sabhan reached the rank of brigadier general in 2012 and served as military attaché to Lebanon in 2014.[11]
Diplomatic career
Ambassador to Iraq (2015–2016)
On 2 June 2015, Al-Sabhan was appointed Saudi Arabia's first ambassador to Iraq since 1990.[12] His tenure was marked by efforts to counter Iranian-backed militias and restore bilateral relations.[13] He faced assassination threats from groups such as Asaʿib Ahl al-Haq and was recalled after tensions with Baghdad escalated.[14]
Minister of State for Gulf Affairs
Appointed on 16 October 2016, Al-Sabhan was tasked with overseeing Saudi policy toward the GCC and countering Iranian influence.[2][15]
Lebanon crisis (2017)
During Lebanon's 2017 political crisis, Al-Sabhan accused Hezbollah of dominating the Lebanese government and warned of Saudi retaliation. He played a role in Prime Minister Saad Hariri's controversial resignation announcement from Riyadh.[16]
Syrian outreach and tribal engagement
In October 2017, he visited Raqqa with U.S. envoy Brett McGurk and pledged Saudi support for SDF-led governance. He later met Arab tribal leaders in eastern Syria to counter Iranian influence.[17]
Gulf diplomacy
Al-Sabhan has played an active role in GCC summits, normalization efforts with Qatar post-2021, and regional integration. He hailed Saudi Arabia's successful 2034 FIFA World Cup bid as a symbol of Gulf unity.[18]
Political views
Al-Sabhan is known for his hardline stance against Iran and Hezbollah, which he refers to as the "Party of Satan".[19] He frequently advocates for stronger international action against Tehran and its regional proxies.[20]
Awards
- Kuwait Liberation Medal (KSA)[1]
- Desert Storm Operational Medal
- Order of Excellence and Merit (U.S. DoD)[21]
- King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellence (Second Class)
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Thamer bin Sabhan Al-Sabhan, Saudi minister of state for Arabian Gulf affairs". Arab News. 28 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Al-Sabhan is appointed minister of state for the Gulf region". Arab News. 16 October 2016.
- ^ Al-Rasheed, Madawi (2010). A History of Saudi Arabia. Cambridge University Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-0521747547.
- ^ "Minister Al-Sabhan awarded honorary doctorate". Saudi Press Agency. 13 March 2018.
- ^ Cordesman, Anthony (2019). "Saudi Arabian Security and Foreign Forces". CSIS. 12 (3): 67–69.
- ^ Binnie, Jeremy (2018). The Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm. Routledge. p. 145.
- ^ "Veterans of Desert Storm: Saudi officers recall decisive campaign". Arab News. 17 January 2021.
- ^ "Kuwait Liberation Medal". US Air Force.
- ^ "Saudi security chief details oil facility defense upgrades". Gulf News. 28 March 2006.
- ^ "Saudi-US counterterrorism drill concludes". Arab News. 12 December 2010.
- ^ "New Saudi military attaché arrives in Beirut". Daily Star. 12 August 2014.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia names new ambassador to Iraq after 25 years". VOA. 2 June 2015.
- ^ Hassan, Hassan (10 July 2015). Saudi-Iraqi Relations: A New Chapter? (Report). Carnegie Endowment.
- ^ "Iraq asks Saudi Arabia to replace ambassador". Reuters. 28 August 2016.
- ^ Jones, Seth (2018). Saudi Arabia’s Regional Ambitions (Report). RAND Corporation.
- ^ "Lebanon 'declaring war' on Saudi Arabia, minister says". VOA News. 7 November 2017.
- ^ Syria Update 13–19 June 2019 (Report). COAR Global. 19 June 2019.
- ^ "GCC hails Saudi 2034 World Cup bid success". GCC Secretariat. 6 March 2025.
- ^ @thamersas (7 November 2017). "The Party of Satan (Hezbollah) is a terrorist organization that must be eliminated" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Saudi minister: Iran is number one sponsor of terrorism". Al Arabiya. 7 November 2017.
- ^ "U.S. DoD Awards to Foreign Nationals". U.S. Department of Defense.