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United Arab Emirates

April 22, 2026

Abu Dhabi 5:59 pm

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A picture shows the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, on Feb. 6, 2017.

Analysis

Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock

ADNOC, Aramco and QatarEnergy have aggressively expanded their international portfolios in recent years, a strategy facing new constraints as the US-Israel-Iran war impacts Gulf production and exposes structural risks.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Haruna Furuhashi /Getty Images

Could UAE tap US currency swap line as Iran war strains Gulf economies?

The Gulf country apparently wanted reassurances from Washington in case its economy is severely damaged by the Iran war.

United Arab Emirates

Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, United Arab Emirates

Interview

UAE official says opening Hormuz integral to any Iran deal, describes infrastructure damage 'manageable'

Abdulla Balalaa, UAE assistant minister of foreign affairs for energy and sustainability, spoke to Al-Monitor about the situation in the Gulf along with the UAE's focus on promoting privatization in the water sector and the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Latest News

Saudi stocks hit 2026 high, bucking global war-driven volatility

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

UAE's deputy PM holds first call with Ghalibaf amid push to extend US-Iran ceasefire

ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

United Arab Emirates

IMF slashes Mideast outlook by nearly 3 points as Iran war hits economies

A man walks through the atrium during the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)

China signals bigger Gulf role as UAE crown prince visits Beijing

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in Beijing on April 13, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

Sudan’s President Omer Al Bashir welcomes Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Khartoum Airport, Sudan December 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah - RC1EBBF69470

Erdogan claims Sudanese coup actually targeted Turkey

Now that the Sudanese military has ousted the president who ruled there for three decades, it will be interesting to see how the new administration will approach Omar al-Bashir's longtime friend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Members of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) gather for the second session of the STC's national assembly in Mukalla on February 16, 2019. (Photo by Saleh Al-OBEIDI / AFP) (Photo credit should read SALEH AL-OBEIDI/AFP/Getty Images)

Does Russia seek return of independent South Yemen?

Russia is tacitly stepping up its efforts to engage with the UAE in Yemen and reach out to the Southern Transitional Council, which favors the reestablishment of an independent South Yemen.

United Arab Emirates

A man walks past a currency exchange bureau advertisement showing images of the U.S. dollar and other currencies in Cairo, Egypt, April 2, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany - RC1BF9442E80

Is debt answer to Middle East economic troubles?

The forecast for growth across the Middle East and North Africa is bleak. Unfortunately for the regions, heavy debt appears to be one way out.

New bollard-style U.S.-Mexico border fencing is seen next to vehicle barriers in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, U.S., March 5, 2019. Picture taken March 5, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC16D209A700

Border wall fight could jeopardize funding for US bases in the Middle East

The fight over funding for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall could impact key US bases in the Middle East.

United Arab Emirates

Interview

Qatar says divisions within GCC have become ‘lose-lose’ situation for the region

Qatari spokesperson says the split among the Gulf states compromises the security of the region and that thousands of families are already paying a price.

A general view of the Eastern Company SAE, which is engaged in manufacturing tobacco products, in Cairo, Egypt September 27, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh - RC12D2E17460

Egypt’s Eastern Company listed 4.5% of shares on stock market

The Eastern Company’s public offering, which resulted in Saudi investors buying 25% of the listing worth $23 million, raises questions about illicit profits within the government.

Despite friction, Egypt retains economic ties with Turkey, Qatar

Some Egyptians have been calling for the government to seize Turkish and Qatari assets, but so far that hasn't seemed to sour foreigners on Egypt's investment offerings.

United Arab Emirates

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is seen during a news conference with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, UAE, March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Satish Kumar - RC19A7AA4720

How did Lavrov do on his Gulf tour?

During his tour of the Gulf, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov treaded carefully around politics, opting to speak publicly about a safer topic, economics.

Kuwait’s steady hand in Gulf affairs

Amid disputes among the GCC states and beyond, Kuwait's efforts to bridge regional and international approaches to diplomacy remain vital.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz meets with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 5, 2019. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC13B1B19C40

Russian FM puts politics above economics on GCC tour

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has kicked off his tour of the Gulf, reflecting Moscow's ambition to capitalize on its regional recognition as a great power.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) celebrate the first anniversary of Raqqa province liberation from ISIS, in Raqqa, Syria Ocotber 27, 2018. REUTERS/Aboud Hamam - RC1BDC1D4780

UAE steps up anti-Turkey efforts in Syria

The United Arab Emirates engages Turkey in a war of words and deeds over Ankara's fight with Kurds in Syria.

United Arab Emirates

Netanyahu’s diplomacy: success or failure?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents himself as a diplomatic magician, though he is accumulating failures on Syria, Iran and ties with Gulf states.