Russia, Iran, China aim to reboot Persian Gulf security

Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran seek to establish collective security in the Persian Gulf, run by littoral states and not western militaries. This will fundamentally shift the region out of the Atlanticist paradigm.

US flexes muscle in Persian Gulf, to no avail

A panicked US tries to insert itself into West Asia's tsunami of political, economic, and diplomatic shifts, but is anybody listening?

Israel to connect to Saudi Arabia, Gulf states via fibre-optic investment

The cable will extend to 20,000 km via the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Jordan

China reveals plans for military cooperation with Arab states

China, South Korea, and Japan have been Arab nations' leading export destinations over the past ten years

War of words escalates as Washington says Riyadh ‘coerced’ Gulf nations to cut oil production

Despite the recent US posturing, officials in Washington say the White House has no plans to cut military cooperation with Saudi Arabia, fearing this would foster its bonds with Russia and China

Iran and the Persian Gulf monarchies: Diplomacy remains their only option

Reconciliation between Iran and the GCC will reap vast mutual benefits, while conflict only serves those outside the Persian Gulf

Foreign forces in Gulf of Aden are direct threat to Yemen: Sanaa official

Al-Ezzi remarks come after the NSG expressed concern over “suspicious” activity by US and French troops stationed south of Yemen

Syrian-Pakistani business council holds talks on industry ties

This meeting comes as Damascus works towards restoring relations with neighboring states and rebuilding the war-ravaged country

Biden’s West Asia tour is put on hold as the US loses its grip on the Gulf

US President Joe Biden’s decision to delay visits to Israel and Saudi Arabia will only bolster Moscow’s diplomatic advances in West Asia

Saudi-appointed council represents occupiers, not Yemenis: Ansarallah official

Ansarallah referred to the head of the unelected presidential council as 'America's man'

Yemen’s ousted president gives up power to Saudi-appointed transitional council

Saudi Arabia has urged the unelected presidential council to enter into negotiations with the popular Ansarallah-led government currently ruling Yemen

Lebanese PM says no effort will be spared in mending ties with Gulf nations

Relations between Beirut and Gulf states suffered a major blow in late 2021 when diplomatic ties between them were severed

UAE keen on deepening energy cooperation with Russia: Emirati FM

The declaration comes just one day after the UK prime minister failed to secure a pledge from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to ramp up oil production

High-ranking Emirati official arrives in Israel for mutual cooperation talks

The visit comes as a reinforcement of the Abraham Accords signed between Israel and the UAE

MbS visits Qatar for the first time since Persian Gulf dust settled

Experts say that MbS visited Qatar to put an end to tensions, as well as to unify the GCC against the Vienna talks

Russia is primed for a Persian Gulf security ‘makeover’

Russia is the one state with the necessary clout, tools, sweeteners and relationships to nudge the Persian Gulf into a new security paradigm

Ansarallah warns of ‘zionist-western conspiracy’ to destroy Yemen unity

Ansarallah official Abdul Aziz bin Habtoor made the comments as negotiations continue to end the devastating eight-year conflict

Iran’s carrot-and-stick strategy toward the Taliban

Iran’s stance on the Taliban involves strategically aligning its West Asian and Eurasian policies, employing key leverage, and positioning itself as a key regional player in shaping Afghanistan's future, without undermining its own water and security concerns. 

Exclusive: Iraqi finance committee deputy calls for diversification away from US dollar

The Cradle speaks to Iraqi parliamentarian Hussain Mouanes on the various economic, financial, and political challenges facing Sudani's government.

De-dollarization kicks into high gear

The US dollar is essential to US global power projection. But in 2022, the dollar share of reserve currencies slid 10 times faster than the average in the past two decades.

Kuwait purchases prominent Egyptian bank for $660m

The report indicates that the contract for the sale will be officially signed after the end of the Eid Al-Fitr holiday

Echoes of Taif: Syria and Saudi Arabia reconcile

Syria-Saudi relations leap forward with joint statements, bilateral meetings, and, for the first time in 12 years, a shared vision for resolving the crisis in Syria.

The Iran-Saudi deal: A bid to end endless war

The Beijing-brokered rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh is expected to have significant implications for peace and prosperity in and around West Asia, given the considerable influence the two nations wield in the region.

Emir of Kuwait praises Saudi-Iranian rapprochement

Leaders from across the Arab world praised the move and thanked China for the role it played in hosting bilateral talks

Syrian quake triggers Arab debate on defying US sanctions

The recent earthquake in Syria has opened up opportunities for Arab states to reconcile with Syria. But will those with US leverage - like the UAE and Saudi Arabia - be willing to take the ultimate friendship test and bypass Washington's sanctions? 

India, UAE seek rupee-dirham trade deal: Report

The bilateral trade between the UAE and India rose to $57.8bn between April and November 2022

US pushes Israel, Saudi to develop closer ties, obstacles to normalization remain

Saudi leaders cooperate closely with their Israeli counterparts in support of US foreign policy goals, but have so far resisted full normalization of ties due to the Palestinian question

Why is Egypt’s Navy commanding a NATO-led coalition in the Red Sea?

In recent years Egypt has been developing and strengthening its navy in and around the Red Sea, but this is arguably part of a broader US strategy for the region.

What prompted the urgent, secretive summit in Abu Dhabi?

Key Arab heads of state convened this week for an emergency meeting that excluded the Saudis and Kuwaitis. The likely hot topics under discussion were Egypt's economic collapse and Israel's aggressive escalations.

Iran, China fix diplomatic blunder following Xi’s Saudi visit

Tehran takes a hard stand as Xi Jinping discovers the Persian Gulf can be a diplomatic minefield.