Analysis US-Iran deal delivers $300 billion controversy, reconstruction questions Under the US-Iran agreement signed on June 17, Tehran stands to receive sweeping sanctions relief, renewed oil sales, access to frozen assets abroad and perhaps the most controversial incentive of all: a proposed $300 billion investment fund. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Interview Franco-Gulf investment holds firm despite Iran war, French official says French investors are reallocating capital toward strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence and technology rather than pulling out of the region altogether. Axel Baroux France’s trade and investment commissioner for the UAE and Middle East
Gulf investment to turn inward to rebuild postwar infrastructure: QNB Charles-Emmanuel de Beauregard, Qatar National Bank’s head of corporate and institutional banking, said that the Gulf countries will need to rebuild their logistics capabilities after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar
Saudi Aramco's VC arm sees boom in emerging technologies, retail Anas Alqahtani, CEO of Wa'ed Ventures, expects strong growth in Saudi Arabia’s emerging technology and retail sectors over the coming years. Saudi Arabia
Pistachios reach highest prices in eight years amid Iran war Pistachio prices rose to around $4.57 a pound in March, their highest since 2018, according to data company Expana. Iran
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
Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Which airlines are cutting flights amid Hormuz fuel disruption? European and Asian airlines have been most impacted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is throttling jet fuel supplies. Iran
How are Iran-linked tankers still moving through Hormuz blockade? At least 19 Iran-linked tankers have passed through the US blockade on the strait to exit the Gulf while at least 15 have entered, according to the cargo-tracking group Vortexa. Iran
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
EU to restore Syria cooperation pact ahead of May talks: What to know The European Union has proposed the full resumption of a decades-old cooperation agreement with Syria ahead of high-level talks next month. Syria
Oil rises, Gulf stocks slide after Iran ship seizure throws truce into doubt In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, US President Donald Trump said the US Navy fired at and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. Iran
What LIV Golf’s woes suggest about Saudi Arabia’s economic headwinds The Golf league, which is backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, is saying its season will go on after reports of an imminent collapse. Saudi Arabia