UAE to leave OPEC on May 1

The United Arab Emirates says it will focus more on domestic production amid the US-Israel-Iran war.

United Arab Emirates

UAE’s cash request tests US ties as Iran war strains Gulf financial muscle

Amid growing economic fallout from the regional war, Abu Dhabi’s bombshell request for a war-time financial lifeline from the United States is less about cash and more about clout — for now.

United Arab Emirates

IEA delivers grim gas supply forecast as oil notches 15% weekly rise

A wave of new LNG supplies will be delayed for at least two years due to war-related damage to Qatari energy infrastructure, according the International Energy Agency's latest market update.

Qatar

Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai

UAE arts scene balances resilience with renewal

Also this week: Deja Vu, Alserkal Art Month and Solimar Miller’s landscapes

By Rebecca Anne Proctor

In Dubai, reporting on culture

Analysis

Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock

ADNOC, Aramco and QatarEnergy have aggressively expanded their international portfolios in recent years, a strategy facing new constraints as the US-Israel-Iran war impacts Gulf production and exposes structural risks.

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Could UAE tap US currency swap line as Iran war strains Gulf economies?

The Gulf country apparently wanted reassurances from Washington in case its economy is severely damaged by the Iran war.

United Arab Emirates

Interview

UAE official says opening Hormuz integral to any Iran deal, describes infrastructure damage 'manageable'

Abdulla Balalaa, UAE assistant minister of foreign affairs for energy and sustainability, spoke to Al-Monitor about the situation in the Gulf along with the UAE's focus on promoting privatization in the water sector and the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Abdulla Balalaa

UAE assistant minister of foreign affairs for energy and sustainability

Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai

Barjeel Art Foundation unveils plans for Sharjah museum

Also this week: Art Dubai’s scaled-back “Special Edition,” DIFC Art Nights returns, and a new Italian spot in the Marina.

By Rebecca Anne Proctor

In Dubai, reporting on culture

Saudi stocks hit 2026 high, bucking global war-driven volatility

The kingdom's stock market climbed to its highest level of the year on Wednesday, with the kingdom’s equities now far outperforming the S&P 500 and other global and regional indices.

Saudi Arabia

UAE's deputy PM holds first call with Ghalibaf amid push to extend US-Iran ceasefire

The Emirati vice president and Iran’s parliament speaker talked de-escalation on the phone in the first such contact since the Iran war began.

United Arab Emirates

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.

Iran

China signals bigger Gulf role as UAE crown prince visits Beijing

China, which maintains close ties with both Iran and Gulf states, is hosting one of the UAE's top officials this week as a fragile ceasefire in the region holds.

China