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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

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Robots to help Muslim pilgrims at holy sites in Saudi Arabia

The robots will explain prayer rituals in Mecca and Medina in multiple languages, according to Saudi religious authorities.

Christian Marquardt/Getty Images

Shareholder Saudi prince rejects Elon Musk’s bid to buy Twitter

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the largest shareholders of the social media giant, believes Twitter is worth more than Musk is offering.

A Moroccan passes by an advertising billboard for a sheep purchase loan ahead of Aid el-Kebir holiday on Nov. 26, 2009, in Rabat.

OPEC loans $100 million to Morocco to promote financial inclusivity

Financial technology (fintech) is expanding across the Middle East and enabling more people to use financial tools. But some cultural barriers remain.

Israel biomed

Israeli innovations in medical tech embraced worldwide

In Europe, the US, Africa, and now also in Gulf states, hospitals and healthcare systems are adopting Israeli med-tech companies' new products.

Zafrir

Quantum computing is the next revolution, Israeli cyber expert says

Israeli intelligence commander-turned-tech executive Nadav Zafrir discussed cybersecurity’s relation to terrorism, the pros and cons of remote work, machines superseding humans and more on Al-Monitor’s 'On Israel' podcast.

Cybersecurity image.

Egypt ramps up cyber, data security capabilities

Egyptian government agencies are coordinating efforts to be prepared for future cyberattacks.

Guests attend the Global AI 2020 Summit in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Oct. 21, 2020.

Saudi Aramco pursues diversification with artificial intelligence center

The Saudi energy giant is flush with cash from oil sales abroad.

A picture taken on Feb. 6, 2018, shows a visual representation of the digital cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

Report: One third of Israelis and Emiratis own cryptocurrency

Both Israel and the UAE have emerged as centers of cryptocurrency in the Middle East.

Intel increases footprint in Israel with acquisition of Granulate

The Silicon Valley computer chip manufacturer has acquired two major Israeli tech companies this year.

Dubai crypto

Bybit, Crypto.com head for Dubai as UAE pushes cryptocurrency

The Emirates wants to become a cryptocurrency hub for the region, but faces some competition from Israel.

United Arab Emirates

FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli bank Leumi becomes first in country to allow cryptocurrency trading

The cryptocurrency market is expanding in Israel and the Palestinian territories, but authorities want the industry to be more regulated.

Bitcoin

Israeli crypto firm Coinmama bought for $3 million

Coinmama is one of the relatively few cryptocurrency platforms that allows users to buy coins with a credit card, and is part of Israel’s growing crypto ecosystem.