Mohammed bin Salman

Mohammed bin Salman was born on August 31, 1985, as the first child of Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz and his third wife, Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain. He is the seventh son of King Salman.

On 6 April 2008, Mohammed married his first cousin Sara bint Mashour, and the couple have five children. This personal event provides insight into Mohammed's family life and relationships.

In 2014, Mohammed bin Salman allegedly mentioned plans to kill King Abdullah to Interior Minister Muhammad bin Nayef Al Saud, aiming to allow Mohammed's father to take the throne. These allegations were made by former Saudi intelligence official Saad al-Jabri in an interview with CBS.

On January 23, 2015, Mohammed bin Salman was appointed as the Minister of Defence of Saudi Arabia after King Abdullah's death and Salman's ascension to the throne.

Mohammed bin Salman was named the chair of the newly established Council for Economic and Development Affairs, demonstrating his increasing influence in economic policies.

On 10 January 2016, the BND, the German intelligence agency, portrayed Mohammed bin Salman as a political gambler destabilising the Arab world through proxy wars in Yemen and Syria.

In 2017, King Salman replaced his nephew Muhammed bin Nayef with his son Mohammed bin Salman as the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, has been a key figure in implementing reforms in the country.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, under Mohammed bin Salman's leadership, spearheaded a diplomatic crisis with Qatar, leading to severing of diplomatic relations and imposing a blockade on the country. The main reason cited was Qatar's alleged support for terrorism and its relations with Iran.

In 2017, China and Saudi Arabia elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with expanded economic, cultural, strategic, and military cooperation. This marked a significant milestone in the deepening relations between the two countries.

The creation of a powerful new anticorruption committee, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, led to a series of arrests of prominent figures, including Al-Waleed bin Talal. The move was seen as a consolidation of power by Mohammed bin Salman and a step towards reform.

In August 2018, Saudi Arabia expelled Canada's ambassador and froze trade with Canada in response to Canada's criticism over the arrest of a human rights activist. This action was seen as a warning to the world by Mohammed bin Salman.

The Saudi government announced the conclusion of the Anti-Corruption Committee's work, indicating a significant effort to address corruption in the country.

On 6 March 2020, Muhammad bin Nayef, Nawwaf bin Nayef, and Ahmed bin Abdulaziz were arrested and charged with treason by the Saudi government, accused of attempting to overthrow Mohammed bin Salman.

On 9 July 2020, the Saudi government detained Saad al-Jabri's children and issued an extradition request against him, leading to allegations of intimidation and political targeting by Mohammed bin Salman.

On 25 December 2020, Mohammed was shown receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health's national vaccination plan. This public vaccination demonstrated leadership in promoting public health initiatives.

On 4 January 2021, Qatar and Saudi Arabia agreed to a resolution of the crisis brokered by Kuwait and the United States, marking the end of the diplomatic crisis initiated by Mohammed bin Salman in 2017.

On 28 September 2021, Mohammed met with Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, to discuss high oil prices and related matters.

Mohammed bin Salman was appointed as prime minister of Saudi Arabia by King Salman, marking a significant shift in the traditional power structure.

On 19 November 2022, Mohammed was awarded an honorary doctorate from Kasetsart University in the field of land knowledge for sustainable development. This recognition highlights Mohammed's contributions to sustainable development.

On 7–10 December 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Riyadh for talks with Mohammed bin Salman. During the visit, numerous commercial deals were signed, and the relationship between China and Saudi Arabia was formally elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level in China's formal ranking of relations with other countries.

On 10 March 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to restore diplomatic ties cut in 2016 after a deal brokered between the two countries by China following secret talks in Beijing. This diplomatic development has significant implications for regional stability and geopolitics.