Erdoğan was welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with an official ceremony that followed a delegation-level meeting.

After the meetings, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed five agreements on direct investment, defense industry, energy, and communication.

One of these agreements was signed between Baykar, a defense industry company known to be close to the Turkish government, and the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense.

The company announced the addition of its unmanned combat aerial vehicles (TİHA) to the Saudi Arabian Army's inventory as "the largest defense and aviation export contract in the history of the Republic of Turkey." The drone deal with Saudi Arabia included joint production as well.

Within the scope of Erdoğan's visit, the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) also organized a business forum meeting between Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Melih Tanrıverdi, CEO of the "defense industry company" SADAT, also attended the meeting. Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu previously stated that the SADAT is a "paramilitary" organization of the government.

 President Erdoğan on July 18 arrived in Qatar's capital Doha on the second leg of his three-nation Gulf tour.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani welcomed Erdoğan with an official ceremony, followed by one-on-one talks on regional issues and economic cooperation.

Photo: Qatar News Agency/Handout via REUTERS