Analysis Libya’s oil revival faces new test as violence returns amid US peace push A drone strike destroyed a power substation in Zawiya as a US-backed peace push appears to be roiling domestic tensions. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Hormuz traffic sinks to one-week low as ships attacked, talks stagnate The United States and Yemen's Houthi rebels carried out separate attacks on commercial ships on Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea. Iran
Turkey’s Fidan heads to Libya as US-backed unification push gathers pace The Turkish foreign minister will hold talks in both Tripoli and Benghazi as Ankara seeks to preserve its military, maritime, energy and commercial interests while Washington pushes Libya’s rival camps toward a power-sharing arrangement. Turkey
Kuwait's LNG imports climb to highest level since start of Iran war The country's domestic gas production has fallen drastically since the beginning of the US-Israel-Iran war in February. Kuwait
Oil dispute reignites Baghdad-Erbil tensions Baghdad and Erbil's relations have largely normalized following the Kurdistan Regional Government's failed independence referendum in 2017. However, the Kurdish failure to commit to the federal budget law risks tarnishing those relations. Iraq
US grants Iraq reprieve to continue buying Iranian gas The US is allowing Iraq to keep purchasing gas from Iran without sanctions, to allow Baghdad time to develop alternate sources. Legacy: Gulf
Iranian National Oil Company opens office in Iraq Tehran expands its economic and political influence in Iraq via its National Iranian Oil Company. Iraq
Energy tops agenda of Turkish FM's meetings in Iraq Turkey’s foreign minister is touring Iraq in a likely bid to boost ties with his country's oil-rich neighbor as the United States ends the waivers that allowed Turkey to buy oil from Iran. Iraq
Turkey seeks alternate oil sources as US ends Iran sanctions waivers Ankara vowed to defy US sanctions on Iran, but figures show Turkey heeding US restrictions and curtailing oil imports from Iran. Turkey
Forget oil sanctions, end of nuclear cooperation waivers could quietly kill Iran deal While the United States' stepping up of oil sanctions has gotten more attention lately, a greater threat to the nuclear deal involves the waivers allowing cooperation with Iran on nonproliferation. United States
Iran leadership shrugs off US oil sanctions, pledges response Iran's supreme leader says the US plan to cap the flow of his country's oil will lead nowhere, pledging a "response to the US hostility." Saudi Arabia
US cuts Iran oil waivers in move to force Tehran out of nuclear deal Washington is letting sanctions waivers for countries that import Iranian oil expire as it tries to make Iran quit the 2015 nuclear deal before a UN arms embargo is lifted next year as part of the agreement. United States
Congress adds new irritant in US-Turkey relations with pro-Cyprus push Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee want to lift the arms sale ban on the disputed island. Turkey
Iran signals change to FX regime, crackdown on profiteering The Iranian authorities said renewed turbulence on foreign exchange markets will be short-lived as signals were sent that a crackdown on profiteering is ahead. United States
Russia expands ties in Lebanon’s oil, gas sector Russia has gotten a huge head start on the United States in gaining access to Lebanon’s oil and gas sector, allowing Moscow to continue to strengthen its economic position across the Middle East. Israel
Egypt takes another whack at fuel subsidies Egypt's draft budget for fiscal year 2019/20 includes a 42% cut in fuel subsidies, raising concerns among drivers across the country. Egypt
