Diplomatic activity has increased following Iran’s recent drone and missile attacks in the Gulf region. Several countries have been engaged in urgent consultations. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held multiple telephone calls with senior officials of different countries. These discussions focused on the latest security situation in the region. According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, […]
Kuwait suspended flights and activated emergency procedures after an Iranian missile and drone attack struck Kuwait International Airport, damaging facilities, injuring dozens and temporarily disrupting air traffic before operations gradually resumed. The strike, which hit Terminal 1 and forced flight diversions, immediately became one of the most visible incidents since the fragile ceasefire…
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed efforts to prevent renewed escalation between the United States and Iran and safeguard freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz during a phone call on Monday, as Cairo and Paris stepped up coordination on key regional security issues. According to the Egyptian presidency, […]
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Three months ago, the picture appeared straightforward. The United States had demonstrated overwhelming military superiority. Iranian facilities were damaged, Washington projected strength, and President Donald Trump declared victory with characteristic confidence. Yet wars are rarely judged by what happens on the battlefield alone. They are ultimately measured by the political realities that…
In a significant strategic pivot, the Trump administration has narrowed its core demand regarding Iran to a single, unyielding red line: ensuring Iran never builds or procures a nuclear weapon. This shift moves away from maximalist objectives such as total regime change or the complete dismantling of Iran’s military infrastructure. Instead, the focus has turned […]
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Saudi energy giant Aramco is sharpening its focus on capital efficiency and operational performance through two strategic initiatives that reflect a broader transformation underway across the global energy industry. The company has agreed to transfer its equity stakes in the Pengerang Refining Company and Pengerang Petrochemical Company (PRefChem) to Malaysia’s PETRONAS, while simultaneously…
For many years, mutual concern about Iran helped to paper over deeper disagreements between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The two powerful and ambitious Sunni Gulf monarchies have been on opposite sides of the civil wars in both Sudan and Yemen, as well as in fierce competition for regional dominance in AI.
But two months into the so-far unresolved Iran war – which has exposed both countries to…
US President Donald Trump has announced that he will briefly suspend Operation Project Freedom, a mission to evacuate commercial ships stranded in the Gulf, the BBC writes. Trump said that the operation, which began just days ago, was being suspended by mutual agreement because significant progress had been made in talks with Iran. Iranian state […]
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Republican Representative Chip Roy is taking aim at free speech and freedom of religion, introducing a bill that would target immigrants who support “socialism, communism, Chinese communism, Marxism, or Islamic fundamentalism.”
Roy calls his assault on the First Amendment to the Constitution the “MAMDANI Act,” after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was elected last year on a platform of…
A sense of dread spread across the Middle East after talks between the US and Iran collapsed, as fears of renewed fighting rattled an already tense region with Donald Trump ordering a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Following more than 20 hours of talks in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, US Vice President JD […]
The post ‘No other way’: Mideast prepares for more fighting as talks fail…
As Gulf countries reassess defense needs after the Iran conflict, new entrants may find a windfall, writes Alek Jovovic of CSIS.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, almost the only route for oil exports from the Persian Gulf, more than a month ago has raised concerns that the world is heading for an energy crisis worse than the one in the 1970s, writes the BBC. Former Maersk director and shipping expert Lars Jensen told the […]
The post The 1970s oil crisis and today: will it get worse? appeared first on Baltic News…
War snarls critical drug deliveries to Gulf Drugmakers reroute cargo as Dubai, Doha hubs are hit Cancer drugs face higher supply risk No major shortages yet, industry says Hospitals could face pressure within weeks LONDON — War in the Middle East is disrupting the flow of critical medicines to the Gulf, imperiling supply routes for cancer drugs […]
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- Gulf / Map, 2026/04 sanchez
US President Donald Trump has warned of wider operations and the possible capture of Kharg Island, which is home to a major oil terminal, the BBC writes. Speaking to the Financial Times on the 29th of March, Trump said that he wanted to seize Iran’s oil and was considering taking over Kharg Island, but added […]
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Ian Bremmer explains how the escalating war with Iran and shifting objectives are threatening America’s alliances and its domestic stability.
In President Trump ’s second-term foreign policy, we’ve seen the US move from diplomatic sabre rattling to aggressive military action. Massive strikes on Iran, initially designed to curb Tehran's regional influence, have escalated…
The Iranian embassy in Spain said on the 26th of March that Tehran was ready to meet Madrid’s requests to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, as Spain respects international law, Reuters reports. This is the first such offer to a European Union country. Spain’s merchant fleet is relatively small, but it was among the […]
The post Iran offers Spanish ships passage through Strait of Hormuz appeared…
The UN Human Rights Council will hold a rare urgent debate on Wednesday on Iran’s strikes on countries across the Gulf region and their impact on civilians. The session, approved on Tuesday, was requested by Bahrain on behalf of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan — to the infuriation of Tehran, which […]
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The U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran took a dangerous turn on March 18, 2026, with tit-for-tat strikes on critical energy infrastructure that amount to the most serious regional escalation since the conflict began. First, an Israeli drone strike targeted facilities at Iran’s Asaluyeh complex, damaging four plants that treat gas from the offshore South Pars […]
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There are currently 19 Latvian seafarers in the Persian Gulf region, the Ministry of Transport (SM) reported. At the same time, no vessels using the Latvian flag are located in or near the Persian Gulf. The ministry noted that responsible institutions are closely monitoring the situation. The ministry also informed that Latvia was represented this […]
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Since the beginning of March, despite Iran’s attacks on shipping lanes, almost a hundred ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz – the same amount as previously in a day, writes the BBC. The volume of ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has decreased by 95% since Israel and the United States began […]
The post 100 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz in March: who risks in a war zone?…
On today’s episode of the MERIP Roundtable our discussion focused on people’s experiences of the war on Iran and throughout the region two and a half weeks in. Much of the discussion of this war in the western media has centered on the strategic calculus of
In a supermarket in Bahrain, Mahmoud Ali fills his cart as usual. The shelves remain stocked despite the war in the Middle East, but the blockade of the main shipping routes into the Gulf is now being felt at checkout. “There’s no shortage”, but over the past few days “there has been a noticeable increase […]
The post Strait of Hormuz blockage drives up Gulf food bills appeared first on Digital…
One expert said the UAE may have shifted its public messaging strategy for “operational security” reasons.
Philippines to boost coal-fired power, cut LNG use Move reverses trend of rising LNG use at coal’s expense Manila could suspend some market rules to ease prices LNG prices more than doubled due to US-Israel war on Iran Top utility Meralco says sufficient coal available SINGAPORE/MANILA — The Philippines plans to rein in power bills as Middle […]
The post Philippines looks to regulate power…
A barrage of Iranian strikes caused havoc across the Gulf on Saturday, shattering the aura of peace so highly prized by the oil-rich region’s wealthy rulers. Missiles streaked across clear desert skies as smoke plumed from US bases in Manama and Abu Dhabi and loud thuds shook high-rise windows in Dubai. In Qatar, dozens of […]
The post Residents flee as Iran missiles stun peaceful Gulf cities…