Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi Sunday backed Saudi Arabia's rejection of a seat on the U.N. Security Council, saying the diplomatic body had failed in its responsibility towards the Arab world.

Arabi told reporters that Saudi Arabia was right to object to the Security Council's management methods and the fact that it failed in its responsibility to secure international peace, "which it is not doing at all."

Arab nations on Saturday appealed to Saudi Arabia to reverse a decision to reject a seat on the U.N. Security Council.

Arab U.N. ambassadors made the appeal after an emergency meeting on Saudi Arabia's surprise announcement Friday that it would not take up a Security Council seat to protest the body's handling of the Syria war and other conflicts.

Saudi Arabia has not yet officially notified the United Nations of its decision to reject a U.N. Security Council place, U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon said Friday.

Ban told reporters it would be for U.N. member states to decide how to replace Saudi Arabia, but said "I would like to caution you that I have received no official notification" from the Saudi government.

Russia on Friday sharply criticized Saudi Arabia for rejecting membership of the U.N. Security Council, slamming the kingdom's "strange" argument that the body had failed over the Syria conflict, as France said it shared Riyadh's “frustration.”

"We are surprised by Saudi Arabia's unprecedented decision," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia rejected membership of the U.N. Security Council on Friday, a day after it was elected to the body, accusing it of "double-standards" in resolving world conflicts.

"Work mechanisms and double-standards on the Security Council prevent it from carrying out its duties and assuming its responsibilities in keeping world peace," the foreign ministry said.

The Pentagon said Thursday it plans to sell Washington's Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates $10.8 billion worth of missiles and munitions, including "bunker-buster" bombs.

The move follows a series of U.S. weapons deals in recent years that have bolstered the air power and missile arsenals of Gulf states, which view Iran as a menacing rival with nuclear ambitions.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday won a U.N. Security Council seat for the first time in a new show of determination to make its voice heard, joining Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria in taking places on the key body.

All five countries stood unopposed in an election by the 193 member U.N. General Assembly. They will replace Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo on the 15-nation council on January 1.

Some 1.4 million Muslim pilgrims who came from 188 countries started leaving Saudi Arabia on Thursday at the end of this year's largely incident-free hajj.

Although the hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, comes to a close officially on Friday, pilgrims are allowed to leave a day early after taking part in the stoning of the devil ritual.

Pilgrims in their hundreds of thousands thronged Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia from early Monday for the climax of the annual hajj pilgrimage, arriving on foot, by train or in vehicles.

Officials said they expected around 1.5 million pilgrims to descend on the site, where later in the day they will perform prayers and listen to the annual sermon from Saudi top cleric Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh.

The U.S. shale gas boom will spread "far and wide," the head of Saudi Aramco said Monday, announcing the state oil giant was set to supply gas to a massive Saudi power plant project.

The world's largest oil exporter launched an unconventional gas program in northern Saudi Arabia two years ago, as it sought alternative domestic fuel supplies that would allow an expansion of lucrative oil exports.