Development Saudi minister: ‘Not enough’ progress made in talks with Iran Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said yesterday that there had been some progress in talks with Iran but “not enough” and that the kingdom’s hands remain outstretched to Tehran. Sunni power Saudi Arabia and Shi’ite Iran, which are locked in proxy conflicts across the Middle East, have held five rounds of talks hosted by Baghdad. “We […] May 25, 2022
Energy Cheap Russian oil gives Iran a China crisis Iran’s crude exports to China have fallen sharply since the start of the Ukraine war as Beijing favoured heavily discounted Russian barrels, leaving almost 40 million barrels of Iranian oil stored on tankers at sea in Asia and seeking buyers. US and European sanctions imposed over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 have pushed […] May 19, 2022
Analysis Iran nuclear deal Iran nuclear deal remains in the balance There is little doubt a solution would bring rapid economic gains for Tehran while some other Gulf countries would also benefit from an easing of trade restrictions, but political calculations could yet scupper a deal The diplomatic traffic through Tehran has continued at a steady pace in recent weeks, as intermediaries doggedly try to revive […] May 18, 2022
‘No development’ in Tehran-Riyadh talks, says minister Iran’s foreign ministry said yesterday there has been “no new development” since April in talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, shortly after a lawmaker said top diplomats of the rival countries will meet soon. Earlier, an Iranian lawmaker told the semi-official Fars news agency that Iran’s Hossein Amirabdollahian will soon meet his Saudi counterpart Faisal […] May 18, 2022
Energy Foreign ship in Gulf waters detained for ‘smuggling fuel’ Iranian authorities seized a foreign ship attempting to smuggle fuel out of the country and detained its crew, state news agency IRNA said today. Iran, which has some of the world’s cheapest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the plunge in value of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land […] May 18, 2022
Energy Saudi puts its energy into increasing oil output Saudi Arabia is on track to lift oil production capacity by more than 1 million barrels per day to over 13 million by the end of 2026 or start of 2027, the energy minister said on Monday. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told an energy conference in Bahrain that production could be maintained at that level should market […] May 17, 2022
Energy ‘Ghost armada’ tankers go dark to ship sanctioned Iranian oil The "ghost armada" tankers are busier than ever, and shipping bigger cargos. They mostly supply Asian markets, according to analysts May 12, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar looks to Iran for World Cup support Qatar’s emir is planning to use his visit to Tehran tomorrow to discuss ways Iran can help with the staging of the FIFA World Cup, including increasing flights between the two countries. “Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will travel to Iran tomorrow to follow up on recent agreements and expand bilateral ties, notably cooperation […] May 11, 2022
Qatar’s emir to visit Iran and Europe to aid Iran nuclear pact Qatar’s emir will visit Iran, Germany, Britain and other European states starting this week on a trip expected to discuss efforts to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal and energy security in Europe, a source briefed on the visit said on Sunday. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, ruler of one of the world’s top natural […] May 9, 2022
Energy Iran looks to boost oil cooperation with Venezuela Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji said on Twitter on Tuesday that he met Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during his visit to the Latin American ally and that the two oil producers aimed to develop their cooperation. “Today I had meetings with the President of Venezuela, Mr. Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials,” Owji said on […] May 3, 2022
Saudis ‘let down’ by US over Houthi security threats, says royal Saudi Arabia feels “let down” by the United States in tackling security threats to the kingdom and wider region by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, a senior member of the Saudi royal family and former intelligence chief said. Traditionally strong ties between Riyadh and Washington have been shaken under U.S. President Joe Biden by the 2018 […] May 3, 2022
Analysis Tech Musk’s Twitter free speech promise may be tested in Middle East In a region where the local media is often controlled by the state, millions of people rely on social media platforms to follow news and express their opinions. Both Twitter and Facebook showed their potential to influence real-life events during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, when they played an outsize role in social upheaval. But […] May 3, 2022
Energy Iran: ‘Terrorist attacks’ behind move of uranium parts workshop to underground location The relocation of a significant part of centrifuge machines to a safer location was due to a “terrorist attack” against Iran’s Karaj nuclear site, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran was quoted as saying on Friday. U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Thursday that Iran had moved a new workshop […] April 29, 2022
Iran summons Afghan envoy after protesters’ attack Iran summoned the Afghan envoy to Tehran, Iranian state TV reported, afterprotesters threw rocks at Iranian diplomatic missions in Kabul and Herat over what they called “mistreatment of Afghan refugees” in the Islamic Republic. The protests began after videos posted on Twitter in recent days showed young Afghan refugees in Iran being harassed and humiliated […] April 27, 2022
Energy Iran Guards ‘seize foreign ship’ in Gulf for smuggling fuel Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have seized a foreign vessel in the Gulf for smuggling 200,000 litres of fuel, a senior Guards commander told the semi-official Fars news agency on Sunday. “The ship was seized in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. Its eight crew have been handed over to legal authorities in the southern […] April 24, 2022
