Iran, Russia, Central Asia states ink Caspian Sea pact, plan naval drills The navies of Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening security in the Caspian Sea basin as the four countries deepen their relations. Iran
World Bank ups Middle East 2025 economic outlook as oil, tourism rebound The lender expects gross domestic product growth in the region to average 2.8% this year, up from its April forecast of 2.6%. Iran
Supreme Court clears path for Turkey’s Halkbank trial over Iran sanctions The Turkish president personally raised the Halkbank case with US President Donald Trump at the White House, as Ankara pushes for a settlement to avoid a drawn-out legal battle. Turkey
Kuwait seeks renewable energy boost as 14 GW power expansion plan takes shape Kuwait, historically lagging in the Gulf’s energy transition, is moving ahead with plans to expand renewable energy amid efforts to banish power crunches. Kuwait
Analysis Egypt’s renewable power jumps 34% as country tackles energy crunch By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis After $20B deals unravel, will Gulf oil majors scale back abroad? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
UAE’s ADNOC inks deal with China’s largest offshore producer as US tariffs bite A third LNG deal has been struck between a Chinese entity and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company as Beijing scrambles for alternative sources to replace the US supply. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Why low oil prices under Trump are unlikely to curb Middle East output Prices stood around $100 a barrel in 2022, under the Biden administration, but hovered between $63 and $66 this past week. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Qatar and Russia to up investment by $2B as emir visits Moscow Cooperation between Qatar and Russia on energy matters is growing, as Doha seeks to mediate between the Kremlin and Ukraine over the war. Qatar
China's oil imports highest since 2023 amid Iran crude spike: What to know Data from analytics firm Kpler from April 11 showed that Iran’s exports were up 20% from February and at a five-month high. China
Analysis France recalibrates Turkey ties as east Med dynamics shift: What to know After years of strain between France and Turkey, the two countries seem to be seeking rapprochement on regional issues. By Jonathan Fenton-Harvey In London, reporting on North Africa and Gulf politics
Iran oil exports to China soar in March to 1.9M bpd despite US sanctions The United States and Iran will hold negotiations on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program on Saturday as Tehran hopes to achieve sanctions relief. Iran
UAE's Mubadala makes first US gas play in wave of Gulf LNG investment Other Gulf energy majors such as Saudi Aramco and ADNOC have already made significant investments in US LNG. United Arab Emirates
After steep fall, oil prices slightly recover following Trump tariff pause Over the last week, oil prices have plummeted amid the escalating trade war between the United States and China. Saudi Arabia
Italy's Eni to invest $26B in Egypt, Libya, Algeria energy projects Eni is already a leading foreign energy company in the region, with footholds in Algeria, Egypt and Libya. Libya
Oil prices fall as Gulf economies grapple with Trump’s tariffs: What to know Falling oil prices could negatively impact the budgets of Gulf states and are coinciding with losses in the region’s stock markets. Saudi Arabia
Turkey's Simsek says economy will ride out Trump tariffs without lasting scars Mehmet Simsek stressed that his government’s economic program has made the economy more resilient against internal and external shocks, highlighting that inflation has fallen and continues to drop. Turkey
OPEC+ members boost output as Trump tariffs bring down oil prices The US president has been calling on Saudi Arabia and other top oil producers to boost production and bring down prices. Saudi Arabia