Qatar locks in US LNG through 2054 as it looks beyond Hormuz The Gulf state agreed to buy up to 4 million tons of US liquefied natural gas annually through 2054. Qatar
Gulf oil exports surpass prewar levels despite escalating tanker attacks According to data from Kpler, oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and alternative routes across the Middle East averaged more than 24 million barrels a day last week, surpassing prewar levels of 23.3 million. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest France now has commitments for 295,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the Gulf, accounting for just over 10% of the European country’s consumption. Bahrain
Analysis As Iran’s oil lifeline runs dry, can it outlast Trump's economic siege? The country's last barrels of crude stockpiled beyond the reach of a US naval blockade fell to zero in October, raising the stakes for Tehran amid mounting economic distress. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis How much oil can cushion another Middle East supply shock? By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Will high oil prices setback Gulf reforms? Push harder or take a breath on economic reforms? The question can be tricky for Gulf rulers Legacy: Gulf
The Takeaway: Iran deal on front burner before Raisi takes office Also: Bibi plots his comeback, a woman boxing coach trains men in Egypt, and the latest from Gaza, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey. Iran
Iranian official says US agrees to lift Trump-era oil sanctions The chief of staff to outgoing Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quoted as saying that Washington had agreed to remove more than 1,000 sanctions imposed upon Iran by the previous US administration. Iran
French foreign minister: Turkey and France have a ‘verbal cease-fire’ Jean-Yves Le Drian told a French TV station there is still a long way to go to improve Turkey-France relations, mentioning Syria, Libya and the eastern Mediterranean. The French and Turkish presidents had a cordial meeting earlier this week. News Brief
Rise in Iraqi cancer cases may be linked to wars, environment The causes of the spike may be linked to Iraq's wars or environmental pollution, but the evidence is sketchy. Iraq
Egypt expands role in Iraqi reconstruction by building bridges in Mosul Egypt is seeking to expand its participation in the reconstruction of Iraq amid a growing alliance between Baghdad, Amman and Cairo. Egypt
Iran expects to restore oil output within month of US lifting sanctions A senior official at the National Iranian Oil Company said that if the United States lifts sanctions on Iran, the country expects to restore its crude oil output to pre-sanctions levels in a matter of months. Iran
Turkey's Erdogan announces natural gas discovery in Black Sea Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Fatih drilling ship had found 135 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the Sakarya gas field. News Brief
UN urges Houthis to permit inspection of aging oil tanker The Houthis, who control access to the FSO Safer, have prevented the UN from sending a technical team to assess the risk of a potential massive oil spill. Yemen
As GCC turns 40, all eyes on post-oil era The GCC alliance hopes for greater future economic growth in the Gulf. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt sets conditions for full normalization with Turkey Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry laid down several conditions that would serve as a basis for normalizing ties with Turkey, in light of the recent attempts at rapprochement between the two countries. Egypt
Biden administration poised to ax US oil company’s waiver for Kurdish-led northeast Syria The decision to withdraw the waiver to produce and sell oil in Syria has been presented by administration officials as a policy correction, not a shift. Syria
