Russia, China, Iran to hold joint naval drills in Strait of Hormuz: What to know The drills come as the three countries strengthen their ties amid growing US economic and military pressure on Iran. Iran
Iran dispatches senior official to China amid talks push with US Ahead of his trip to Beijing, Kazem Gharibabadi met with the Russian ambassador to Iran on Tuesday. Iran
UAE launches sovereign open-source AI model K2 Think: What to know The Gulf state is one of the few countries in the world developing its own sovereign open-source AI model to counter the dominance of the United States and China in the sector. United Arab Emirates
Interview Qualcomm sees growing demand for edge AI in the Middle East The Middle East's young population is increasingly adopting AI through mobile devices rather than data center-based solutions, Wassim Chourbaji, Qualcomm's president for the Middle East and Africa, told Al-Monitor. Wassim Chourbaji Qualcomm president for the Middle East & Africa
Analysis Trump dials up risky Iran tariffs that would hit China, UAE and others: What to know By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Interview Youth, strong AI adoption make MENA leading region for smartphones: OPPO Lay Ren President of OPPO MENA
Analysis From Sputnik to satellites: How China is pulling Egypt and Gulf into its space orbit By Dale Aluf In Amsterdam, reporting on China in the Middle East
Analysis Wang Yi’s tour signals China’s quiet push for influence beyond trade By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
How China dominated Iraq's solar energy market As Iraq continues to struggle to provide electricity to its people, cheap Chinese technology is helping the country, as well as the Kurdistan region, move toward renewables while deepening Beijing's reach in the Middle East. Iraq
Congress doubles down on Middle East defense architecture in NDAA markups To counter China's influence and Iran activities, lawmakers want to expand cybersecurity, maritime and air and missile defense support to Middle East allies and enable Israeli Air Force pilots as Arab leaders begin to engage with Iran. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt hosted US, China, Russia, France, UK nuclear talks The Cairo talks followed a February meeting in Dubai on nuclear non-proliferation as the Biden administration seeks to set new norms with Beijing and Moscow. Russia / Mideast
Libyan police detain 50 Chinese nationals in crypto farm bust Media from the Tripoli Attorney General Office’s Facebook page show a dingy-looking, windowless room full of hardware, wires and servers being raided by authorities. Libya
China signs major LNG deal with Qatar as Beijing’s Gulf push continues QatarEnergy inked a 27-year agreement with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to provide 4 million tons of LNG per year. Qatar
Dubai free zone reports 24% increase in Chinese companies The Dubai Multi Commodities Center has more than 770 Chinese companies in its free trade zone. United Arab Emirates
Saudi FM to visit Iran in first after China deal, Iranian press reports The visit will be the first in years during which Saudi Arabia and Iran were locked in a bitter conflict that has been felt across the region. Iran
China’s Xi hosts Abbas, vows support for Palestinian state on 1967 borders Xi used the word 'Palestine' as he welcomed Mahmoud Abbas on a visit that follows Beijing's offer to mediate peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Palestine
Saudi Arabia's Arab-China business conference inks over $10B in deals The Arab-China Business Conference yielded billions of dollars worth of deals on electric vehicles, mining, technology and more. Legacy: Gulf
Analysis Chinese panda bonds present opportunity for cash-strapped Egypt With this agreement with the African Development Bank, Egypt is the first African country to issue bonds in Chinese currency that are placed in the domestic market of mainland China. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Saudi FM: China cooperation ‘likely to grow,' but US security ties robust Saudi Arabia is a longstanding partner of the United States but it is rapidly building ties with China, its largest trading partner and biggest purchaser of Saudi oil. Saudi Arabia
US sanctions target Iran's ballistic missile ties with China The latest barrage of US economic sanctions came just hours after Iran unveiled what it claimed to be its first hypersonic missile. Iran
