China slams Trump over economic war on Iran: What to know China’s once significant oil imports from Iran have been impacted by the war in the region and increasing US sanctions. Iran
Explainer King Abdullah visits China as region hedges against US unpredictability With no end in sight to the war in Iran and an unchecked Israeli policy across the region, the kingdom is hedging against future uncertainty and a less predictable US policy. China
Trump’s Iran ‘economic D-Day’ threat sends oil prices above $94 In a Truth Social post, the president threatened that any country that provides a financial lifeline to Iran will face "tremendous economic consequences." Iran
Jordan's King Abdullah heads to China in first visit since 2015: What to know Ahead of the visit, King Abdullah said that Jordan hopes to expand cooperation with China in green energy, tourism and aviation. Jordan
Analysis Jordan shores up US lifelines as Iran targets Amman’s reliance on Washington By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Why artists are speaking up against ‘dirty money’ in Iranian cinema The increasing emergence of “dirty money” in Iranian cinema has sparked an outcry among artists, producers and directors, who are urging action to stop the phenomenon from ruining the industry. Iran
As Iran mulls joining financial watchdog, Israel sees win-win situation If Iran joins the FATF anti-money laundering organization, the Islamic Republic might find it harder to fund militant organizations in the region, but if Iran does not join, it may lose what few international banking connections it already has. Israel
Can Saudi Arabia afford a stimulus? Oil-revenue-dependent Saudi Arabia still has $490 billion in reserve assets, but its massive foreign and domestic commitments and a long-term declining demand curve for oil could spell trouble down the road. Saudi Arabia
Turks fire back as Trump ends preferential trade status The United States removed Turkey from its list of countries that enjoy tariff-free access to the US market, a decision criticized by the Turkish government. Turkey
Exodus by big firms pushes Iran toward smaller Chinese enterprises To mitigate the impact of harsh US sanctions, Iran is increasingly turning to China by dispatching high-ranking delegations to Beijing to augment trade. But China is also mindful not to cross the red lines drawn by the United States. United States
Egypt finds its nationals new job markets abroad The difficult economic conditions and nationalization of jobs in Gulf states have caused a problem for Egyptians willing to work overseas, and prompted thousands to return home. Legacy: Gulf
Is Erdogan's airport dream turning into nightmare? The Istanbul New Airport's current and projected damage to ecosystems, its subpar construction and its woeful financial setup is turning the project into a grandiose failure — one that will cost the Turkish public dearly for decades to come. Turkey
Russian Industrial Zone in Suez to be launched soon The construction of the Russian Industrial Zone in the new Suez Canal Economic zone is expected to begin soon, in a project that Egypt hopes will boost its economy. Egypt
Egypt’s unemployment rate declines to pre-revolution levels amid economic recovery Although the Egyptian government is initiating programs to encourage work in the private sector, some graduates still see unemployment as a threat to young people. Egypt
Iran’s top banks launch blockchain platform to boost ailing banking system Banking giants in Iran have established a digital tokenization platform to liquidize bad assets. If it can overcome the many challenges on the way, it could generate vital cash — and public trust. Iran
Erdogan blasts polling as Turkey's local elections approach President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, long a close observer of opinion polls, now indicates they are not to be trusted when it comes to March 31 local elections that may put his leadership to the test. Turkey
Gazans reluctant to import from Egypt despite Hamas’ encouragement Although Hamas reduced fees imposed on goods entering the Gaza Strip, it seems local traders are hesitant to import from Egypt, which imposes high fees on traded products. Palestine
