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Economy & Business

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China’s overland trade routes offer Iran wartime economic lifeline: What to know

Cargo rail traffic between China and Iran has reportedly surged since the US blockade began in April as Tehran seeks overland trade alternatives to help buy time.

In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency on May 4, 2026, the Iran-flagged tugboat Basim sails near a ship anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

What to know about Iran's 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority' to control Hormuz traffic

The establishment of an entity seeking to control maritime transportation in the Strait of Hormuz is the latest sign that Iran wants to formalize authority in the strategic waterway.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly speaks in Beirut on Dec. 19, 2025.

Egypt ramps up energy investments amid war-driven price pressures

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Wednesday that Egypt has secured commitments exceeding $19 billion from international oil companies over the next three years.

Latest News

Few ships pass Hormuz despite US efforts to break Iran's hold

Tankers are seen at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal in the Sharjah Emirate, along the Strait of Hormuz on June 23, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran strikes UAE’s Fujairah oil hub as US pushes Hormuz reopening

Meysam MIRZADEH / TASNIM NEWS / AFP via Getty Images

United Arab Emirates

Analysis

MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers

Crops of wheat and barley in Terbol village on May 10, 2022, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Oman enters Gulf AI race with new special economic zone in Muscat

Haitham AL-SHUKAIRI / 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

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

Fujairah solar plant

UAE's AMEA Power commissions Egypt's largest solar plant

Egypt's Aswan governorate is set to host the country’s largest solar project in a deal with the Emirati energy firm.

An aerial picture shows a view the destruction at the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees and its cemetery, in the south of Damascus on December 14, 2024. Islamist-led rebels took Damascus in a lightning offensive on December 8, ousting president Bashar al-Assad and ending five decades of Baath rule in Syria. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

The daunting battle ahead to rebuild Syria’s devastated economy

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A Union flag flies above a hangar as a British Airways operated Airbus A747 passenger jet is moved by an aircraft tractor at Heathrow Airport, west of London on April 2, 2020, as life in Britain continues during the nationwide lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

Saudi Public Investment Fund takes 15% stake in London's Heathrow Airport

Spanish construction giant Ferrovial said it had closed the sale of a 19.75% stake in the UK capital’s busiest airport for 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) to the PIF and French investment firm Ardian.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a keynote speech on the third day of the Bitcoin 2024 conference at Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee, July 27, 2024.

Trump crypto partner Tron allegedly used by Hamas, Hezbollah: What we know

Financial experts and Israeli authorities say Tron, a partner organization of Donald Trump's World Liberty Financial, is used by the Iran-backed militant groups to transfer crypto assets.

Syrian pounds are pictured at a currency exchange shop in the town of Sarmada in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, on June 15, 2020.

Syria's interim PM warns foreign currency shortage could hinder refugee return

Nearly 14 years of civil war, international sanctions and the exodus of 4.82 million Syrians have crippled the economy, resulting in a sharp decline of the Syrian pound.

UAE free trade zone

UAE to host world's largest production plant for certain bioplastics

The world's largest bioplastic plant will soon become an industry player in Abu Dhabi's free trade zones.

United Arab Emirates

Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after addressing members of the media following the verdict in his hush-money trial at Trump Tower on May 31, 2024 in New York City. A New York jury found Trump guilty Thursday of all 34 charges of covering up a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her story of their alleged affair from being published during the 2016 presidential election. Trump is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of crimes.

Trump Organization to build luxury housing in Saudi capital: What we know

The two companies this week will also launch the Trump Tower in Jeddah, the third project between Dar Global and the Trump Organization.

The US Treasury Department building in Washington, DC, Jan. 19, 2023.

Analysis

German firm's $14.5M fine not a deterrent for violating Iran sanctions

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control levied the penalty against Aiotec GmbH, an industrial equipment–sourcing company.

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

FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Growing arms race tests Morocco’s military tech edge, Israel ties

Morocco has been steadily building up its military in recent years and in November reports surfaced that the North African country was in talks to acquire Turkish drones.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Bpifrance, Saudi PIF sign $10B financing agreement

The five-year agreement will increase collaboration between PIF and Bpifrance Assurance Export, focusing on projects to support Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s plan to diversify the economy away from reliance on oil.

SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images

Airbus becomes latest multinational to open regional HQ in Saudi Arabia

The European plane maker aims to develop local talent and technological expertise in the fast-growing Gulf market.

STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey ends probe into Meta over Threads data sharing

Turkey's Competition Board has ended its investigation on Meta after the company agreed to new data-sharing terms for Threads.