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United Arab Emirates

April 23, 2026

Abu Dhabi 5:56 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)

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

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al Khalid al Sabah, Qatar's Foreign Minister Khaled al-Attiyah, Oman's Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and UAE'S Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (L-R) pose for a group photo during an extraordinary meeting in Riyadh January 9, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al N

Gulf countries take back seat on Syria route

It seems Saudi Arabia is more interested in Yemen than in Syria these days, which explains dwindling Gulf support for Syrian rebels.

A Palestinian man watches a joint press conference by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a coffee shop in the West Bank city of Hebron February 15, 2017. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma - RTSYU7C

Why Arab leaders cannot replace legitimate Palestinian ones

The Trump-Netanyahu love fest that was broadcast around the world doesn’t bode well for Palestinians or for any possible peaceful breakthrough.

Why GCC has been silent on Trump's 'Muslim ban'

Gulf states have failed to criticize the Trump administration for its recent "Muslim ban" in an attempt to keep the new US administration on their side in light of the economic and security challenge the Gulf region faces.

Incoming Trump administration cabinet secretary nominees including Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson (L-R), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director nominee Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary nominee James Mattis arrive for meetings at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 13, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RTX2YUEZ

How will Trump’s anti-Muslim Brotherhood inner circle view Qatar?

While Qatar’s support for groups such as Hamas has caused tense ties with the United States in the past, Donald Trump’s presidency could create even more challenges for Qatar.

EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on their ability to film or take pictures in Tehran.†

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Chairman of the Assembly of Experts, delivers the opening speech during the biannual meeting of the assembly in Tehran September 22, 2009. REUTERS/Caren Firouz (IRAN POLITICS) - RTR284SA

Will Rafsanjani’s death draw Iran, Egypt farther apart?

As Egypt paid its condolences to the death of former Iranian President Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, many observers do not expect Rafsanjani's death to affect the rapprochement attempts between both countries.

Arab film festivals not ready for 'revolution' on screen

The Cairo and Dubai film festivals have both rejected certain films that deal with Egypt's January 25 Revolution, prompting many to wonder just how large a role, if any, the Egyptian government played in the decisions.

United Arab Emirates

How will Britain-Gulf rapprochement affect Egypt?

Following British Prime Minister Theresa May's attendance at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, it seems cooperation between both sides could potentially worsen Egypt’s relations with the Gulf states.

Bahrain's Prime Minister Prince Khalifa Bin Salman al-Khalifa attends a meeting during the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit at the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok, Thailand, October 10, 2016. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha - RTSRK1T

Who in the GCC wants a union?

Gulf Cooperation Council states consider transforming into a union to arm themselves against Iran’s increasing dominance and the growing instability in the Middle East.

Tunisia's President Moncef Marzouki (R) and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani listen to their national anthems during a welcome ceremony in Tunis April 3, 2014. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi (TUNISIA - Tags: POLITICS ROYALS) - RTR3JUGT

Qatar steps up its involvement in Tunisia with investment conference

The Arab Spring’s nascent democracy is the latest theater where Gulf state rivalries are playing out.

United Arab Emirates

How modern art is helping bridge Arab-Iranian divide

A rare exhibition is bringing together Iranian and Arab modern art at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, presenting a unique opportunity for cultural diplomacy.

United Arab Emirates

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a meeting with Foreign Ministers of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 13, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTSS3HN

Does a UAE-Turkish rapprochement worry Egypt?

The UAE has grown closer to Turkey in the past month on policies related to Iran and Syria.

A Houthi follower carries a mock missile as he shouts slogans during a demonstration against the United Nations in Sanaa, Yemen, July 5, 2015. Hundreds of supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took to the streets of the Yemeni capital on Sunday to protest against the United Nations and its alleged support of Yemen's exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi - RTX1J485

What recent Houthi moves in Red Sea mean for Israel

Houthi assaults against US and UAE vessels should indicate to Israel that control of Red Sea waters might be at stake.