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United Arab Emirates

July 6, 2026

Abu Dhabi 10:51 pm

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Oil tankers and cargo vessels are anchored off the coast of Oman after being stranded for days as congestion at Port Sultan Qaboos has prevented them from docking on June 23, 2026 in Muscat, Oman. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for the region's oil and gas, was effectively blockaded since the outbreak of war between the United States and Iran in late February. This week's provisional peace deal between the countries was meant to reopen the waterway to shipping traffic, but the pace of that reo

Oil prices ease as OPEC+ increases production, Hormuz traffic rebounds

Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 0.15% to $71.87 a barrel as of 8:07 a.m. EDT after dropping as low as $71.09 earlier in the session, its lowest level since before the US-Israel-Iran war began on Feb. 28.

An aerial view shows port of the western Syrian port city of Latakia, on Dec. 18, 2024.

Analysis

Can a UAE-backed Syria-Iraq corridor become Gulf's next trade route?

On June 26, Emirati and Syrian officials discussed plans for a logistics corridor connecting Syrian ports to Gulf markets via Iraq.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

A man walks past the flags of the countries attending the Gulf Cooperation Council summit at Bayan palace in Kuwait City on Dec. 5, 2017.

Analysis

How Iran war shaped divergent paths to security among GCC states

The Iran war left the Gulf more fragmented than united, with competing security strategies replacing any prospect of a common regional defense.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Oil drilling near Dakhiliyah in the desert region of Hasakah, Syria, Jan. 25, 2026.

Syria launches gas project with Saudi firm in latest Gulf energy partnership

The project is the latest in a series of Gulf-backed investments aimed at rebuilding Syria's energy sector after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Latest News

Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound

Crude oil tankers, bulk carriers and vessels sit anchored around Qaboos Port on June 22, 2026, in Muscat, Oman.

Trump earns $810M from UAE-backed crypto firm: What to know

People walk past a cryptocurrency exchange office with a screen featuring US President Donald Trump holding cryptocurrency coins in Hong Kong on March 12, 2025.

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

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks to reporters on his way to the Senate floor for a vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. May 14, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC1F178C0200

Republicans rebuke Trump over Gulf arms sales

Congress is going on offense against President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to arm Arab states.

Members of the UAE armed forces secure an area while searching for landmines in Al-Mokha, Yemen March 6, 2018. Picture taken March 6, 2018. Reuters/ Aziz El Yaakoubi - RC1C9EFFB000

Trump presses UAE on alleged human rights abuses in Yemen

The Defense Department says in a new strategy that it has pressed the United Arab Emirates to investigate allegations of torture in Yemeni detention centers.

Why Arabs are pressuring PA to take part in Bahrain summit

Some Arab countries are placing political and financial pressure on the Palestinian Authority to reconsider its rejection of the Bahrain economic workshop, which the United States is holding later this month to kick off its peace plan.

Why Khamenei’s 'no' on talks with US could lead to 'yes'

Expect chatter of Iran-US dialog to pick up in the coming weeks, even though Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says he adamantly refuses to negotiate with the Trump administration.

Egypt boosts ties with Gulf countries amid Iranian threats

Egypt has expressed concerns over the growing Iranian threats in the region, fearing it might affect navigation in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

What does the UAE expect from Egypt?

Political analysts believe Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to Cairo helps solidify UAE-Egypt relations as the situation escalates in the Gulf.

Can Palestinians survive PA's disengagement from Israel?

The Palestinian Authority's announced goal of disengaging from Israel appears to be dismissive of the geo-political environment in which it is operating and the devastating consequences such a move will have for Palestinians on the West Bank and in Gaza.

Why Saudi Arabia is focused on tensions with Iran

The Saudis have called an Arab summit for May 30 in Mecca to likely brand Iran as a terrorist state, with the apparent hope that the United States will strike Iran.

Libyan National Army (LNA) members, commanded by Khalifa Haftar, pose for a picture as they head out of Benghazi to reinforce the troops advancing to Tripoli, in Benghazi, Libya April 7, 2019. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori - RC14EB305380

Why global and regional powers aren't standing up against Hifter's Libya offensive

If major international players could find a common interest in a stable Libya, they might see a simple way out of the seemingly endless wars of post-Gadhafi succession, yet they continue to back opposing factions in Libya.

People carry food aid they received from the local charity, Mona Relief, ahead of the holy month of Ramadan on the outskirts of Sanaa, Yemen May 5, 2019. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC130ADB5390

Yemenis demand aid transparency as humanitarian crisis rages

A campaign demanding transparency in aid delivery is gaining traction in Yemen, where a humanitarian crisis threatens millions.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia January 14, 2019. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS - RC1E4A498AC0

Saudis’ troubled ties in region threaten Trump's anti-Iran agenda

The Trump administration is tightening the screws on Iran, but Saudi Arabia, Iran's archnemesis, may not be of help drumming up support for the US policy given the state of its current relations in the Arab world.

Members of Libyan National Army (LNA) commanded by Khalifa Haftar, get ready before heading out of Benghazi to reinforce the troops advancing to Tripoli, in Benghazi, Libya April 13, 2019. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori - RC1B9C0FEEB0

What Russia makes of Hifter's offensive on Tripoli

Russia has positioned itself as an impartial middleman in the Libyan crisis, but there's a fine blueprint that defines this position.

United Arab Emirates