Egypt - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Egypt cover image

Egypt

April 19, 2026

Cairo 2:49 pm

28°C

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)

IMF slashes Mideast outlook by nearly 3 points as Iran war hits economies

The International Monetary Fund cut gross domestic product forecasts for the Middle East and North Africa, with the fallout from the conflict exposing stark divergences between the region’s energy exporters and importers.

Sayed Hassan/Getty Images

Analysis

Egypt eyes energy breakthroughs as Iran war deepens gas crunch

Among countries outside the Gulf conflict's direct line of fire, few have felt the shockwaves as acutely as Egypt.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A police speed boat patrols the port as oil tankers and high speed crafts sit anchored at Muscat Anchorage near the Strait of Hormuz on March 30, 2026 in Muscat, Oman.

Analysis

Hostage to Hormuz, can Gulf rewire future energy flows to bypass Iran’s chokepoint?

As the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts around 20% of global oil supply, experts point to opportunities and challenges facing a renewed push to develop alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A view of the platform of the Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea is pictured from the Israeli northern coastal beach of Nasholim, on Aug. 29, 2022.

Israel energy minister says gas flowing to Egypt, Jordan despite shutdown reports

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Al-Monitor that despite security concerns and partial shut down of marine gas platforms, Israel continues to supply gas to Egypt, Jordan and Israeli consumers.

Latest News

Egypt closes stores early, Jordan bans AC as Iran war takes toll

Shops close early, on March 28, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt.

Analysis

Oil-rich Gulf states could face power crunch as Iran war hits energy security

A general view of South Pars gas field facilities in the southern Iranian port town of Assaluyeh, on the Gulf, Nov. 19, 2015.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

How Egypt is navigating limited options in Iran war to stay neutral

US President Donald Trump and President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi clasp hands as they speak to the press before their meeting on Oct. 13, 2025, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Analysis

Oil crisis stokes inflation risks for Mideast as Iran war exposes importers

Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran on March 7, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

In London, reporting on North Africa and Gulf politics

Mohammed Magdy

In Berlin, reporting on Egyptian politics

Ayah Aman

In Cairo, reporting on politics and culture

Salwa Samir

In Giza, reporting on politics

Nada Shaker

In Cairo, reporting on culture

Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi shout slogans in front of army soldiers at Republican Guard headquarters in Nasr City, a suburb of Cairo July 8, 2013. At least 51 people were killed on Monday when demonstrators enraged by the military overthrow of Egypt's elected Islamist president said the army opened fire during morning prayers outside the Cairo barracks where Mursi is believed to be held. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVI

Four Reasons Why Iran Wins From Morsi’s Fall

Iran stands to gain regionally from the coup in Egypt.

An Egyptian army soldier stands beside a star of David, on a wall surrounding the Israeli Embassy in Cairo September 4, 2011. Egypt has walled off Israel's embassy in Cairo after tensions between the two countries sparked a series of angry protests that reached a climax last month when a demonstrator scaled the building and removed the Israeli flag. As work began on the wall a few days ago, many Egyptians gathered nearby to show their displeasure. Picture taken September 4, 2011. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El-Ghan

Israel Should Make Peace With Egyptian People

The changes in the Arab world now offer the Israeli people the opportunity to establish human relations with the Arab people, starting with the Egyptians.

Protesters who are against ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi celebrate in Alexandria July 7, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of supporters and opponents of ousted Mursi gathered in Cairo and Alexandria on Sunday, two days after similar gatherings led to nationwide clashes that claimed more than 30 lives. REUTERS/Louafi Larbi (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX11G92

Egyptian Revolution: Three Myths

Egypt has another shot at completing the revolution that was stillborn in 2011.

Turkey Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a conference in Ankara, June 18, 2013. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX10S1M

Turkish Leadership Demoralized By Coup in Egypt

The Turkey-Egypt axis is a thing of the past, at least for now.

A Palestinian man carries cooking gas canisters at a gas filling station in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip June 24, 2013. Egypt has intensified a crackdown on smuggling tunnels between its volatile Sinai desert and the Gaza Strip, causing a steep hike in petrol and cement prices in the Palestinian territory. Many Gaza residents complain they have been without cooking gas for weeks, with tunnel supplies low and imports from Israel scarce. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY EN

Fuel Crisis Threatens Gaza After Egypt Border Closure

Egypt's decision to close the Rafah crossing amid the recent unrest risks plunging Gaza into a crisis of its own.

A protester supporting deposed Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi holds a poster of Mursi during clashes outside the Republican Guard barracks where Mursi is being held in Cairo July 5, 2013. At least three protesters were shot dead on Friday outside the barracks in Cairo, security sources said, as angry Islamist supporters confronted troops across the country. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX11DTC

Egypt’s Uncertain Transition

Al-Monitor’s coverage of the coup in Egypt.

Supporters of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi pray as they attend a symbolic funeral for the four men killed during clashes with police outside the Republican Guard headquarters a day earlier, in Cairo July 6, 2013. Egypt counted its dead on Saturday after Islamists enraged by the overthrow of Mursi took to the streets in an explosion of violence against what they denounced as a military coup. REUTERS/Louafi Larbi (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX11EYM

Who Will Stand With Egyptian Democracy?

It appears that not enough attention is being paid to the rights of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose inclusion is necessary for Egypt to move forward democratically.

A portrait of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi in seen on the ground at the Raba El-Adwyia mosque square in Cairo July 6, 2013. Egypt counted its dead on Saturday after Islamists enraged by the overthrow of Mursi took to the streets in an explosion of violence against what they denounced as a military coup. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX11ELU

Egypt Loses Leadership Role Potential As Well as President

The Morsi presidency could have helped resolve the region’s myriad conflicts if it had achieved reconciliation at home.

Anti-Mursi protesters are pictured during clashes with members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi near Maspero, Egypt's state TV and radio station, near Tahrir square in Cairo July 5, 2013. Seventeen people were killed in violence in Egypt on Friday as supporters of deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi protested his overthrow by the army, state television said, quoting Health Ministry data. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL

Egypt’s North Sinai Under Curfew Following Deadly Clashes

Sinai is divided by the coup which overthrew Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.

A boy balances a poster of Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi on his bicycle during a pro-Islamist demonstration in Istanbul July 1, 2013. Pro-Islamist groups held a demonstration in Istanbul in support of Mursi on Tuesday. Egypt's armed forces handed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi a virtual ultimatum to share power on Monday, giving feuding politicians 48 hours to compromise or have the army impose its own road map for the country. The slogan on the poster reads, " We will not let you victimise him". REUTER

Egyptian Coup Shakes Turkey

Turkey struggles to find the right response to the military coup in Egypt.

Turkey's Prime Minister and leader of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Tayyip Erdogan (R) and his guest Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi greet the audience during AK Party congress in Ankara September 30, 2012. Erdogan trumpeted Turkey's credentials as a rising democratic power on Sunday, saying his Islamist-rooted ruling party had become an example to the Muslim world after a decade in charge. Addressing thousands of party members and regional leaders at a congress of his Justice and Development (

Coup in Egypt Strategic Loss For Erdogan

The Egyptian military coup that overthrew Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is a blow to Turkey’s regional strategy under the AKP government.

A protester supporting deposed Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi holds a poster of Mursi during clashes outside the Republican Guard barracks where Mursi is being held in Cairo July 5, 2013. At least three protesters were shot dead on Friday outside the barracks in Cairo, security sources said, as angry Islamist supporters confronted troops across the country. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX11DTC

A New Era for Egypt

Though Mohammed Morsi was the legitimate, elected president of Egypt, he quickly lost actual popular legitimacy by isolating large segments of the Egyptian population.