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People sit in a cafe outside the Apple Store in Dubai on May 8, 2025.

Iran names US tech, finance firms in new Middle East threat list

Firms listed as potential targets included Oracle, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta, IBM, Palantir and Nvidia, while banking giant JPMorgan and UAE-based AI firm G42 were also listed.

Traffic rolls along a main throughfare under a banner with images of past and present leaders that reads in Farsi, "Domino fall", as daily life returns to the streets following nationwide protests, in the Iranian capital Tehran on January 19, 2026. Demonstrations sparked in late December by anger over economic hardship exploded into protests widely seen as the biggest challenge to the Iranian leadership in years. Limited internet access briefly returned in Iran before dropping again, a monitor said January

Analysis

Iran’s longest-ever internet blackout leaves 99% offline: What to know

Facing a historic internet blackout, Iranians are locked in a struggle with authorities to find loopholes to get around this communications crackdown, leading to "shutdowns within a shutdown."

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Latest News

What we know about UAE blocking X accounts accused of misinformation

Attendees take a picture of French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe as he delivers a speech during a visit to the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum on February 10, 2018, on Saadiyat island in the Emirati capital, to launch the French-Emirati "Year of Cultural Dialogue". (Photo by KARIM SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

United Arab Emirates

Interview

AI, cybersecurity high on Mideast priorities amid global tech rivalry: Tech Mahindra

A man and woman walk along a promenade overlooking the Burj al-Arab and Dubai skyline on January 4, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Mideast’s AI startups capture record $858M in funding during 2025, doubling share

Detailed image of Middle Eastern developer in front of desktop pc monitoring a complex network, ensuring data security and efficient computing using cloud, AI and machine learning.

United Arab Emirates

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

David Rosenberg

In Tel Aviv, reporting on business and tech

A municipal worker is lowered after adjusting a solar panel.

Iraqi company to build solar-powered street lights

The Iraqi government is making efforts to develop solar energy. The country suffers from widespread power cuts.

YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey, UAE continue to mend ties with space agreement

Turkish-Emirati economic ties have gradually strengthened this year, reducing tensions between the two regional powers.

A protester wearing a mask of the Anonymous computer hacking activists group and holding the Palestinian flag.

'Ethical hacking' courses proliferate in Gaza

Some centers in Gaza are providing courses on ethical hacking under the pretext of helping citizens protect their online data, while in some cases hacking and piracy operations are being taught.

UAE AI

UAE announces measures to attract ‘digital companies’

The Emirates wants to attract more high-tech companies, especially those working on artificial intelligence. Some cryptocurrency firms are moving to the Gulf state.

Russia begins production of equipment & components of Egypt’s El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, Aug. 2, 2021.

Egypt licenses first power unit at Dabaa nuclear power plant

The Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority licensed the construction of the first power unit at the Dabaa nuclear power plant, in a step showing that the Russian-Egyptian venture has not been affected by Russia’s war on Ukraine and the ensuing sanctions imposed on Moscow.

electic bus

Dubai to test 'zero-emission' electric bus

The UAE is investing in an array of green and renewable energy projects.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli tech companies take fertility treatments to next level

With generous state financing for fertility treatments, the in vitro fertilization field is booming in Israel and several Israeli start-ups are working to innovate it.

MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP via Getty Images

Egyptian government pushes bike project to reduce traffic, pollution ahead of COP27

In lead-up to COP27, the Egyptian government is exploring ways to encourage citizens to ride bicycles.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Dubai prepares for launch of first 'self-driving' taxis

Dubai has begun a digital mapping project for a fleet driverless taxis.

Buffalo graze by the bed of the dried-up Diyala River.

Egypt to build desalination plant in Iraq

Egypt plans to build a desalination plant on the Euphrates River to help address acute water shortages in southern Iraq amid lack of rainfall and poor management of water resources.

Sharm el Sheikh

Egypt announces Kharga as first green city ahead of COP27 summit

Egypt, which is hosting the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh in November, is seeking to attract more tourists by marketing eco-tourism.

2022 Select USA Investment Summit, June 26-29, Washington, DC.

Global investment summit invites Gaza company for first time

An international investment conference this month will host a Gaza tech company for the first time, coming as a great surprise to the Palestinian team.