Saud bin Faisal Al Saud

{{Short description|Saudi royal and foreign minister (1940–2015)}}

{{Infobox royalty

|image = Saud al-Faisal 5 March 2015.jpg

|caption = Saud bin Faisal in 2015

|alt = Photograph of Saud bin Faisal aged 75

|succession = Minister of Foreign Affairs

{{labeldata|In office|13 October 1975 – {{nowrap|29 April 2015}}}}

{{labeldata|Prime Minister|King Khalid
King Fahd
King Abdullah
King Salman}}

|predecessor = Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

|successor = Adel bin Ahmed Al Jubeir

|birth_date = {{birth date|1940|1|2|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Ta'if, Saudi Arabia

|death_date = {{death date and age|2015|7|9|1940|1|2|df=y}}

|death_place = Los Angeles, United States

|spouse = Princess Jawhara bint Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman

|issue = {{collapsible list|Prince Mohammad|Prince Khaled|Prince Fahd|Princess Haifa|Princess Lana|Princess Reem}}

|house = Al Saud

|father = King Faisal

|mother = Iffat bint Mohammad Al Thunayan

|occupation = {{hlist|Politician|diplomat|businessman}}

}}

Saud bin Faisal Al Saud ({{langx|ar|سعود بن فيصل آل سعود|Suʿūd ibn Fayṣal Āl Suʿūd}}), also known as Saud Al Faisal ({{langx|ar|سعود الفيصل|link=no}}, Suʿūd Āl Fayṣal; 2 January 1940 – 9 July 2015), was a Saudi Arabian statesman and diplomat who served as the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 2015. He was a member of the Saudi royal family, a son of King Faisal, and one of the grandsons of Saudi Arabia's founder King Abdulaziz. He was the longest-serving foreign minister in world history.

Early life, education and early career

File:King Faisal bin Abdulaziz.jpg, father of Saud]]

Saud bin Faisal was born in Taif on 2 January 1940.{{cite web|title=Prince Saud bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz|work=Saud Al Faisal

|url=http://saudalfaisal.com/index_En.html|access-date=21 July 2013}} He was the second son of King Faisal and Iffat Al-Thunayan who was born to a Turkish family.{{cite book|author=Steve Coll|title=The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M8dSD-CQOTYC&pg=PT163|year=2008|publisher=Penguin Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-101-20272-2|page=163

|author-link=Steve Coll|location=New York}}{{cite news|title=Briefing|newspaper=The Guardian

|url=http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Politics/documents/2006/10/27/PJ5_39BriefforThatcherSept85.pdf|access-date=13 October 2012|date=25 September 1985}}{{cite book|editor=Winberg Chai|title=Saudi Arabia: A Modern Reader|year=2005|page=193|isbn=978-0-88093-859-4

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lh4bENPP_HEC&pg=PA193|publisher=University of Indianapolis Press|location=Indianapolis, IN}} He was the full brother of Sara bint Faisal, Mohammed bin Faisal, Latifa bint Faisal, Abdul Rahman bin Faisal, Bandar bin Faisal, Turki bin Faisal, Luluwah bint Faisal, and Haifa bint Faisal.{{cite book|editor1=Bahgat Korany|editor2=Ali E. Hillal Dessouki|title=The Foreign Policies of Arab States: The Challenge of Globalization

|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=64PWMY5QksMC&pg=PA369|year=2010|location=Cairo; New York|publisher=American University in Cairo Press|isbn=978-977-416-360-9|page=369|author1=Bahgat Korany|author2=Moataz A. Fattah|chapter=Irreconcilable Role Partners? Saudi Foreign Policy between the Ulama and the US}}

Prince Saud attended the Hun School of Princeton{{cite magazine|author=Katrina Thomas|volume=30|title=America as Alma Mater |url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/197903/america.as.alma.mater.htm|magazine=Aramco World|access-date=6 November 2022|issue=3 |date=May–June 1979}} and graduated from Princeton University in 1964 with a bachelor of arts in economics.{{cite web|title=Saudi-European Relations: Towards a Reliable Partnership|work=European Policy Centre|access-date=31 December 2012

|url=http://www.saudiembassy.net/files/PDF/Saud_Speech_EPC_2.19.04.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053554/http://www.saudiembassy.net/files/PDF/Saud_Speech_EPC_2.19.04.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|author=Nick Luddington|title=King Faisal's eight sons|agency=AP|location=Jeddah|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j58gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m2gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1190,870999&dq=kamal+adham&hl=en|access-date=26 February 2013|newspaper=Lewiston Evening Journal|date=5 April 1975}} In 2007, he told Ford Fraker, then US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, that during his studies at Princeton, he would like to leave the university and to return to the country.{{cite news|author=Ford Fraker|title=Remembering Prince Saud Al Faisal bin Abdulaziz|access-date=16 August 2020|work=Politico|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/12/saud-al-faisal-bin-abdulaziz-obituary-213471|date=29 December 2015}} However, his father, Faisal, came to the campus and persuaded him to complete his education.

Following his return to Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud became an economic consultant for the ministry of petroleum. In 1966, he moved to the general organization for petroleum and mineral resources, (Petromin). In February 1970, he became deputy governor of Petromin for planning affairs. He was also a member of the High Coordination Committee. In 1971, he became deputy minister of petroleum.{{cite book|title=Energy Crisis, 1969-1974|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3mxHAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA908|year=2001|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|isbn=978-0-16-080652-0|page=856}} Prince Saud served in this post at the oil ministry until 1975 when he was appointed as state minister for foreign affairs. He replaced Omar Al Saqqaf in the post who had died in November 1974.{{cite news|title=New Saudi Arabia King Picks Deputy Premiers|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|date=30 March 1975|agency=UPI|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=seMeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_2YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6173,6824187&dq=king+khalid+and+prince+mohammed+bin+abdulaziz&hl=en|access-date=3 August 2012}}

Foreign minister

On 13 October 1975, King Khalid appointed Prince Saud as foreign minister.[http://saudalfaisal.com/index_En.html Saud Al Faisal] He was relieved from the post on 29 April 2015 due to health problems and was replaced by Adel al-Jubeir, a former Saudi ambassador to the United States.{{cite news|title=Saudi king replaces crown prince in cabinet reshuffle|work=Al Jazeera|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/saudi-king-salman-replaces-crown-prince-cabinet-reshuffle-150429020021160.html|access-date=29 April 2015|date=29 April 2015}}

=Timeline=

Prince Saud was well regarded in the diplomatic community.{{cite news|work=The New York Times|date=17 December 2009

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/middleeast/17faisal.html|author=Michael Slackman|title=A Legacy of Regret for a Saudi Diplomat}}

In 1978 and also in 1985, Prince Saud raised awareness in Britain of Soviet activity in the Horn of Africa.{{cite thesis|author=Nawaf Ahmed Al Madkhli|title=Saudi Arabia's foreign policy during King Khalid's reign, 1975–1982|degree=PhD|year=2007

|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/304896248|location=University of Arkansas|id={{ProQuest|304896248}}}} In May 1985, he officially visited Iran and meetings were focused on the annual pilgrimage of Iranians to Mecca.{{cite news|author=Gary G. Sick|title=Iran's Quest for Superpower Status|url=http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/42020/gary-g-sick/irans-quest-for-superpower-status?page=show|access-date=28 July 2013|work=Foreign Affairs|date=Spring 1987}} He asked Condoleezza Rice to focus on "key substantive issues" of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He complained that US banks were auditing Saudi Embassy banks illegally. He asserted that auditors were "inappropriate and aggressive". He also declared that the Saudi Embassy has diplomatic immunity.

Prince Saud said in 2004 that Saudi Arabia would like to reduce its dependence on U.S.-dominated security arrangements.{{cite journal

|url=http://www.frankhaugwitz.de/doks/security/2007_07_China_Energy_Middle_East.pdf}} In July 2004, he claimed the real source of problems in the Middle East were not Muslims but "injustice and deprivation inflicted in the region".{{cite web|author1=Saud Al Faisal|author2=Peter G. Peterson|url=http://www.cfr.org/publication/6982/united_states_and_saudi_arabia.html?id=6982|title=The United States and Saudi Arabia: A Relationship Threatened by Misconceptions|work=Council on Foreign Relations|access-date=25 May 2011}} In August 2007, he denied allegations that terrorists were travelling from Saudi Arabia to Iraq and claimed it was vice versa.{{cite web|title=Iraq: Regional Perspectives and U.S. Policy|url=https://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/104282.pdf|access-date=25 May 2011}}{{cite web|work=Coastal Digest

|url=http://www.coastaldigest.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14388&Itemid=71|title=Saudi Arabia slams UN double standard|date=28 September 2010|access-date=25 May 2011}}

File:Prince Saud Alfaisal 1987.jpg in 1987|200px]]

On 10 March 2006, he met with Hamas leaders in Riyadh.{{cite journal|author=Mahjoob Zweiri|title=The Hamas Victory: shifting sands or major earthquake?|journal=Third World Quarterly|year=2006|volume=27|issue=4|pages=675–687|doi=10.1080/01436590600720876|s2cid=153346639 }} In July 2006, he urged U.S. President George W. Bush to call for a ceasefire in the Lebanon bombing.Michael Abramowitz and Robin Wright. (24 July 2006). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/23/AR2006072300168.html Saudi Arabia Asks U.S. to Intervene in Lebanon]. The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2011. In January 2008, he supported parliamentary elections in Pakistan. He indicated that Pakistan did not need "overt, external interference" to solve political division. He commended Nawaz Sharif as a stable bipartisan candidate.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

In February 2010, he told General Jones to distinguish between friends and enemies in Pakistan rather than using indiscriminate military action. He insisted that Pakistan's army must maintain its credibility.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} In November 2010, he led the Saudi delegation at the G-20 Summit.{{cite web|url=http://www.saudiembassy.net/latest_news/news11111001.aspx|title=Prince Saud leads Saudi delegation to G-20 Summit|date=11 November 2010|work=Saudi Embassy|access-date=25 May 2011}}

In January 2011, he withdrew out of mediation efforts to reinstate a government in Lebanon.{{cite news|work=CNN

|url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/01/19/lebanon.saudis/|title=Saudis give up on Lebanon mediation talks|date=19 January 2011}} In March 2011, he went to Europe to rally support for Saudi Arabia's intervention in Bahrain.{{cite news|title=Saudi Bid to Curb Iran Worries U.S.|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303654804576347282491615962|access-date=31 December 2012|date=27 May 2011

|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|author=Matthew Rosenberg|author2=Jay Solomon|author3=Margaret Coker}}

After the U.S. Gulf Cooperation Council forum at the GCC secretariat in Riyadh on 31 March 2012, he said it was a "duty" to arm the Syrian opposition and help them defend themselves against the daily bloody crackdown by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.{{cite news|title=Saudi foreign minister says supporting Syrian opposition is a 'duty'|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/03/31/204429.html|access-date=31 March 2012|work=Al Arabiya|date=31 March 2012}} Commenting on the fragile security situation, Prince Saud noted that: "One of the most important causes is the continuation of the unresolved conflict as well as the continuation of the Israeli aggression policy against the Palestinians. "We have discussed, in the meeting, many issues, especially the heinous massacre against the Syrian people. We also discussed the latest developments in Yemen, and reviewed the overall developments and political situation in the Persian Gulf region, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as their repercussions on the security and stability of the region and the world," Prince Saud said.{{cite news

|title=Arming Syrian opposition is a duty, says Prince Saud|access-date=2 August 2012|newspaper=Saudi Gazette|archive-date=7 April 2012

|df=dmy-all|url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=20120401120786|date=1 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407054418/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=20120401120786}}

=Iran and Lebanon=

Rather than military action on Iran, Saud Al Faisal called for tougher sanctions such as travel bans and further bank lending restrictions.{{cite web|author=Mike Vilensky|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/11/wikileaks_round-up.html|title=WikiLeaks: Saudi King Abdullah Encouraged U.S. to Attack Iran; Chinese Politburo Hacked Into Google – Daily Intel|work=NY Mag|date=28 November 2010 |access-date=25 May 2011}} He stated that U.S. foreign policy has tilted more power for Iran. He compared the Iranian influence in Iraq with Iranian influence in Lebanon. He commended positive developments by Iran such as its influence over Hezbollah to end street protests.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

In early 2011, he expressed fear of the "dangerous" instability in Lebanon after the fall of the government led by Saad Hariri. He also stated that Lebanon's ability to establish peaceful coexistence with so many different groups may be a significant loss in the Arab world if the nation failed in creating a government.

File:Saudi Foreign Minister al-Faisal and Ambassador Smith Walk to Meet Secretary Kerry.jpg, walks to greet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 25 June 2013.|250px]]

In May 2014, it was reported that Prince Saud had invited Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to visit Riyadh, breaking the ice in one of the most hostile relationships in the Middle East ahead of key talks on Iran's nuclear program in Vienna. Speaking to reporters in the Saudi capital, Foreign Minister Prince Saud said the kingdom was ready to host the Iranian Foreign Minister "anytime he sees fit" and indicated that Riyadh was willing to open negotiations with its nemesis on the many combustible issues dividing them.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-thaw-saudi-extends-invite-to-iran/2014/05/13/b89a1d19-3b62-4e3e-9f56-730b8819e4e2_story.html

|title=In thaw, Saudi Arabia extends invitation to Iran|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=5 March 2015}}

Other governmental activities

Starting in 1998, under the reign of King Fahd, Saud bin Faisal and the then Crown Prince Abdullah managed the energy sector through a committee of technocrats and princes.{{cite journal|author=J. F. Seznec|title=Stirrings in Saudi Arabia|journal=Journal of Democracy|date=October 2002|volume=13|issue=4|pages=33–40|doi=10.1353/jod.2002.0080|s2cid=144333876 }} More specifically, Prince Saud was appointed chairman of the Saudi Aramco's committee charged with the project assessment in September 1999.{{cite book|editor1=David G. Victor|editor2=David R. Hults|editor3=Mark C. Thurber|title=Oil and Governance: State-Owned Enterprises and the World Energy Supply|author=Paul Stevens|isbn=978-1-107-00442-9|location=Cambridge|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pBuV5z_hnngC&pg=PA184|year=2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press

|page=184|chapter=Saudi Aramco: The Jewel in the Crown}}

On 20 November 2009, King Abdullah appointed Prince Saud as the chairman of the influential supreme economic council of Saudi Arabia.{{cite news|author=Anne-Beatrice Clasmann|title=Discreetly, Saudis speculate about the throne succession|access-date=29 April 2012|work=M&C News|date=20 November 2009|url=http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/features/article_1514417.php/Discreetly-Saudis-speculate-about-the-throne-succession-Feature|archive-date=21 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921182612/http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/features/article_1514417.php/Discreetly-Saudis-speculate-about-the-throne-succession-Feature}}{{cite web|title=Royal Decree to add Prince Saud Al Faisal, Prince Mohammed bin Naif|url=https://www.sec.gov.sa/News/Royal-Decree-to-add-Prince-Saud-Al-Faisal.aspx?lang=en-US|work=Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Supreme Economic Council|access-date=29 April 2012|date=16 November 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921152807/http://www.sec.gov.sa/News/Royal-Decree-to-add-Prince-Saud-Al-Faisal.aspx?lang=en-US|archive-date=21 September 2013}} Prince Saud was also a member of the military service council.{{cite news|title=Saudi Authority to monitor audiovisual media|url=http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093553820/Saudi-Authority-to-monitor-audiovisual-media|access-date=4 September 2012|work=MEFAFN|date=4 September 2012|agency=Arab News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814005012/http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093553820/Saudi-Authority-to-monitor-audiovisual-media|archive-date=14 August 2014}}

=Views=

Saudi foreign policy was designed by the King, not by the foreign minister. Prince Saud worked closely with King Khalid, King Fahd and King Abdullah.

Prince Saud was firmly anti-Soviet and was an Arab nationalist. When asked in 1979 if there was an alliance with the US regarding military cooperation, he stated that Saudi Arabia had no such alliance with the US, but with other Arab and Muslim countries.{{cite book|author=Victor McFarland|title=Oil Powers. A History of the U.S.-Saudi Alliance|date=July 2020|publisher=Columbia University Press|page=4|doi=10.7312/mcfa19726|isbn=9780231197267|s2cid=242347150|location=New York; Chichester, West Sussex

|url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7312/mcfa19726/html}}

He was more resistant to Israeli proposals than King Fahd. He lamented his legacy might be defined "by profound disappointment than by success". He regretted how his generation of leaders failed to create a Palestinian state. He encouraged Iraqis to defend their country's sovereignty.{{cite news|title=No politics for Ben Ali in Kingdom|access-date=23 July 2013

|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/365893|newspaper=Arab News|date=19 January 2011}}

In the Saudi royal court, his relationship with King Fahd was strained, but he was one of King Abdullah's closest allies.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-politics-princesaud-idUSL6E8JC57D20150429|title=Newsmaker-Saudi veteran foreign minister Prince Saud Al Faisal|work=Reuters|date=29 April 2015|access-date=10 July 2015|author=Angus MacDowall}} He was among the Saudi officials who worked to improve Saudi Arabia's international image and maintain its strong relationship with the United States after the September 11 attacks.{{cite news|url=http://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2015/7/10/saudi-arabias-veteran-foreign-minister-prince-saud-al-faisal-dies|title=Saudi Arabia's veteran foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal dies|work=Al-Araby|date=10 July 2015|access-date=10 July 2015}}Paul Aarts and Gerd Nonneman. (Eds.). (2006). Saudi Arabia in the Balance: Political Economy, Society, Foreign Affairs

Personal life

File:Saud-al Faisal in his early 20s.jpg

Prince Saud was married to his cousin Jawhara bint Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman, and they have three sons and three daughters.{{cite web|title=About Ministry|work=Ministry of Foreign Affairs|access-date=3 November 2012

|url=http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/aboutMinistry/SeniorOfficials/Pages/ExcellencyPrinceSaudElFaisal.aspx}} His sons are Mohammad, Khaled and Fahd, and his daughters are Haifa, Lana and Reem. Haifa bint Saud is married to Prince Sultan bin Salman and is a professor of English literature working at King Saud University.{{cite book|author=Joseph A. Kéchichian|title='Iffat Al Thunayan: An Arabian Queen|date=2014|publisher=Sussex Academic Press|page=50,76|isbn=9781845196851|author-link=Joseph A. Kéchichian

|url=https://archive.org/details/iffatalthunayana0000kech/page/50/mode/2up?q=king+khalid+bin+abdulaziz}}

Prince Saud lived in Jeddah.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} Unlike other members of the Al Saud, he often spoke publicly and interacted with reporters.{{cite web|author=Simon Henderson|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130747807|title=Foreign Policy: A Prince's Mysterious Disappearance|work=NPR|access-date=25 May 2011}} He spoke several languages, including English, Turkish,{{cite journal|author=Robert Olson|title=Turkey's Relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council from 2003 to 2007: New Paradigms?|page=77

|journal=Mediterranean Quarterly|date=Summer 2008|volume=19|issue=3|doi=10.1215/10474552-2008-014|s2cid=154819914}} Spanish, Hebrew, French, Italian and German. He liked to play tennis.

=Business activities and properties=

Prince Saud is one of the Saudi royals mentioned in Panama Papers due to his offshore accounts.{{cite news |title=Mr. Saud Al Faisal|url=https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/13006857|access-date=9 October 2020|work=Offshore Leaks Database}} In the US, he had a house in Los Angeles's the Beverly Hills Post Office neighborhood which he built in 1983.{{cite news|title=Chris Hardwick sold his house to Princess Reem Al Faisal|url=https://www.dirt.com/showbiz/producers/chris-hardwick-house-saudi-princess-reem-al-faisal-5527/|access-date=9 August 2020|work=Dirt|date=12 October 2016}}

=Social roles=

Prince Saud was involved in philanthropy. He was a founding member of the King Faisal Foundation and served as chairman of the board of directors for the King Faisal School and Al Faisal University in Riyadh. He was also a member of the Society for Disabled Children and the Madinah Society for Welfare and Social Services.{{cite web|title=Saudi Arabia: HRH Prince Saud Al Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud|url=http://americanbedu.com/2011/12/06/saudi-arabia-hrh-prince-saud-al-faisal-bin-abdulaziz-al-saud/|work=American Bedu|access-date=31 March 2012}}

=Illness and death=

Prince Saud suffered from Parkinson's disease and back pain. He had surgery in the United States. His physical appearance showed signs of health deterioration, especially difficulty standing upright. On 11 August 2012, he had another surgery to remove a "simple" blockage in the intestines due to adhesions resulting from previous surgery.{{cite news|author=Sara Anablawi|title=Saudi's foreign minister undergoes abdominal surgery|work=Arabian Business

|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-s-foreign-minister-undergoes-abdominal-surgery-469461.html|access-date=5 September 2012|date=12 August 2012}} The operation was performed at the Specialist Hospital in Jeddah.{{cite news|title=King Visits Prince Saud Al Faisal

|url=http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/readsinglenews.php?id=1023595&content_id=&scroll=1|access-date=20 August 2012|work=Saudi Press Agency|date=19 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205152801/http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/readsinglenews.php?id=1023595&content_id=&scroll=1|archive-date=5 February 2015|df=dmy-all}} Prince Saud went to Los Angeles after he left the hospital on 6 September 2012. The ministry announced that he would stay there for a while.{{cite news|title=Saudi Arabia: Foreign minister recovering from abdominal surgery in his Los Angeles home|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-arabia-foreign-minister-recovering-from-abdominal-surgery-in-his-los-angeles-home/2012/09/10/a71165ba-fb52-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215100856/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-arabia-foreign-minister-recovering-from-abdominal-surgery-in-his-los-angeles-home/2012/09/10/a71165ba-fb52-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 December 2018|access-date=10 September 2012|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=10 September 2012|agency=AP}} On 25 January 2015, Prince Saud had a successful spine surgery in the U.S.{{cite news|title=الديوان الملكي: نجاح عملية أجراها سعود الفيصل |url=http://www.alarabiya.net/ar/saudi-today/2015/01/24/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%84%D9%83%D9%8A-%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B5%D9%84.html|access-date=25 January 2015|work=Al Arabiya|date=25 January 2015}} In March 2015, he was photographed using a walking frame.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Mar-05/289724-saudi-fm-urges-coalition-to-face-isis-challenge-on-the-ground.ashx|title=Saudi FM urges coalition to face ISIS challenge on the ground|work=The Daily Star|date=5 March 2015|access-date=5 March 2015}} With age, Saud faced many health problems, suffering from chronic back pain and having had various surgeries.{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/saudi-fm-prince-saud-al-faisal-dies-150709174932774.html|title=Former Saudi FM Prince Saud Al Faisal dies|work=Al Jazeera|date=9 July 2015|access-date=10 July 2015}}

Prince Saud died on 9 July 2015 at the age of 75 in Los Angeles.{{cite news|title=Former Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal Dies|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-saudi-foreign-minister-prince-saud-al-faisal-dies-1436471902|work=Wall Street Journal|date=9 July 2015 |access-date=9 July 2015 |last1=Omran |first1=Ahmed Al }}{{cite news|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/breaking-saudi-ex-foreign-minister-saud-al-faisal-dead-1.1548005|title=Breaking: Saudi ex-Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal dead at 75|work=Gulf News|agency=Reuters, AFP|date=9 July 2015|access-date=9 July 2015}} His funeral prayer was held in Grand Mosque in Mecca on 12 July 2015, and he was buried in Al Adl cemetery.{{cite news|title=UAE Rulers attend funeral of Prince Saud Al Faisal|url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/uae-rulers-attend-funeral-of-prince-saud-al-faisal-1.38187|access-date=13 September 2020|work=The National|date=12 July 2015}}{{cite news|title=Teary farewell to Prince Saud|url=http://susris.com/2015/07/12/the-passing-of-a-giant-in-the-world-of-diplomacy-prince-saud-laid-to-rest/|access-date=14 July 2015|work=Susris|date=12 July 2014}}

Honour

= National honours =

{{flag|KSA}}: First Class of the Order of King Abdulaziz

=Foreign honour=

{{flag|Belgium}} : Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
{{flag|Egypt}} : Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit (Egypt)
{{flag|Jordan}} : Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance
{{flag|Kuwait}} : Grand Cordon of the Order of Mubarak the Great
{{flag|Malaysia}} : Honorary Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (P.M.N.) (24 January 1982).{{cite web|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|title=Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat|website=istiadat.gov.my}}
{{flag|Morocco}} : Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite
{{flag|Netherlands}} : Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
{{flag|Spain}} :
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (31 May 1977).{{cite web|title=Real Decreto 1527/1977, de 31 de mayo, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz de la Orden de Isabel la Católica a Su Alteza Real Saud Ben Faisal|url=https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-1977-15079|publisher=Boletín Oficial del Estado|access-date=23 October 2023|page=14894|language=es|date=2 July 1977}}
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (15 June 1981).[https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1981/10/07/pdfs/A23482-23482.pdf Boletín Oficial del Esfado]