Gulf

COP28 president says fossil fuels phasedown is inevitable

By Riham Alkousaa BERLIN (Reuters) - The phasedown of fossil fuels is inevitable, the United Arab Emirates' incoming COP28 president said, in stronger remarks than previous comments where he called…

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Saudi Arabia economy grew 3.8% boosted by non-oil activities

DUBAI, June 8 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's economy grew by 3.8% year on year in the first quarter of 2023, the General Authority for Statistics said on Thursday, broadly in…

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Iran presents its first hypersonic ballistic missile, state media reports

Iran presented what officials described as its first domestically-made hypersonic ballistic missile on Tuesday, the official IRNA news agency reported, an announcement likely to heighten Western concerns about Tehran's missile…

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Magnitude 5.9 earthquake strikes Gulf of Aden region – USGS

June 3 (Reuters) - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck in the Gulf of Aden region on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 km…

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UAE begins corporate tax roll-out, with free zones exempted

By Lisa Barrington DUBAI, June 1 (Reuters) - The UAE began rolling out a 9% business tax on Thursday, with exemptions for the many free zones which power its economy,…

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Saudi population at 32.2 mln, 63% of Saudis under 30 years old -census

RIYADH, May 31 (Reuters) - The population of Saudi Arabia has reached 32.2 million, 42% of whom are foreign nationals with 63% of Saudis under age 30, the country's general…

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Saudi embrace of Assad sends strong signal to US

By Samia Nakhoul and Aziz El Yaakoubi Once labelled a pariah, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took centre stage as master of ceremonies last week when Arab states readmitted…

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Iran executes three men over recent protests, judiciary says

May 19 (Reuters) - Iran executed three men on Friday over recent protests, the country's judiciary said on Twitter. Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi were executed in the…

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UPDATED: Syria’s Assad to attend Arab summit, bringing regional isolation to an end

By Aziz El Yaakoubi JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, May 19 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in Saudi Arabia on Friday to attend an Arab summit where he will rub…

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to headline Arab summit

By Aziz El Yaakoubi Summit will mark Assad's return to fold West unhappy with development Sudan conflict among other issues to be raised Saudi asserts leadership, as Qatar steps back…

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ANALYSIS: Qatar takes diplomatic back seat as Saudi flexes political muscle

Qatar loses diplomatic clout as Saudi influence grows Doha-based Syria diplomatic mission only revolutionary embassy Arab leaders set to welcome Assad gov't back in Friday summit By Andrew Mills DOHA,…

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Russia and Iran sign rail deal for corridor intended to rival Suez Canal

By Olesya Astakhova and Parisa Hafezi MOSCOW, May 17 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday oversaw, via video-link, the signing of a…

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World not ready yet to ‘switch off’ fossil fuels, COP28 host UAE says

By Valerie Volcovici and Leah Douglas WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates said that countries should agree to phase out fuel emissions - not the production of…

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Iran hangs Swedish-Iranian linked to attack that killed 25 people

DUBAI, May 6 (Reuters) - Iran executed a Swedish-Iranian dissident on Saturday convicted of leading an Arab separatist group accused of attacks including one on a military parade in 2018…

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Dubai crypto regulator awards first broker-dealer MVP operational license

DUBAI, May 1 (Reuters) - BitOasis, a Middle East-focused crypto exchange based in the United Arab Emirates, has received the first broker-dealer minimum viable product operational license from Dubai's crypto…

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US Navy says Iran seized Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in Gulf of Oman

April 27 (Reuters) - Iran has seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman while it was in transit in international waters, the United States Navy said…

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Member of Iran’s powerful clerical body assassinated

Adds details DUBAI, April 26 (Reuters) - A member of Iran's influential clerical body was assassinated in the country's northern province of Mazandaran on Wednesday, the semi-official Fars news agency…

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Oman liberalises foreign marriage law in rare social reform

By Lisa Barrington Omanis no longer need state permission to marry a foreign national according to a royal decree issued this week, a rare example of social reform in the…

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Eid al-Fitr to start for Sunni Muslims

Saudi Arabia, the country with Islam's holiest city of Mecca, has announced that this year's Eid al-Fitr will start on Friday, marking the end of Ramadan. "Tomorrow, Friday, is the…

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Photo Story: Iranian Army unveils 200 new drones

A handout photo made available by the Iranian Army shows drones on display during a ceremony at an unknown location in Iran, 20 April 2023. According to the Iranian Army,…

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At least 78 killed in stampede for donations in Yemen

April 20 (Reuters) - At least 78 people were killed in a stampede in the Yemeni capital Sanaa as hundreds gathered in a school to receive aid, witnesses and Houthi…

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Iran invites Saudi king to visit Tehran

DUBAI, April 17 (Reuters) - Iran has officially invited Saudi Arabia's king to visit the country, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday, after the two regional rivals agreed…

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Saudi to unilaterally release detainees to Yemen following prisoner swap

DUBAI, April 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia on Monday will release a number of detainees to Yemen, the International Committee of the Red Cross said, in a unilateral move that…

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Son of toppled Iranian Shah to visit Israel

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The exiled son of the Iranian Shah toppled in the 1979 Islamic revolution will visit Israel this week, Israel's government said, calling him the "most senior Iranian…

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Saudi Arabia, Syria welcome thaw in ties, agree to fight drug trafficking

RIYADH, (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and Syria's foreign ministers welcomed a thaw in bilateral ties, including steps to resume consular services and flights, and agreed to cooperate to fight drug…

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Iran exploits quake relief mission to fly weapons to Syria -sources

Sources: Military equipment disguised as relief supplies Syria is a conflict zone for Israel and Iran Israel mounts swift campaign against Iranians By Suleiman Al-Khalidi, James Mackenzie and Parisa Hafezi…

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Iran installs cameras in public places to identify, penalise unveiled women

April 8 (Reuters) - In a further attempt to rein in increasing numbers of women defying the compulsory dress code, Iranian authorities are installing cameras in public places and thoroughfares…

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Saudi delegation to hold ceasefire talks with Yemen’s Houthis in Sanaa

RIYADH/ADEN, April 7 (Reuters) - Saudi and Omani envoys are planning to visit Yemen's capital Sanaa next week to negotiate a permanent ceasefire deal with Iran-aligned Houthi officials and end…

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Saudi-Iranian ties: A history of ups and downs

DUBAI, April 6 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in China for the first formal meeting of their most senior diplomats in more than seven…

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Iran says it warned off US Navy aircraft close to Gulf of Oman

DUBAI (Reuters) - The Iranian navy said it identified and warned off a U.S. reconnaissance plane near the Gulf of Oman on Sunday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. "After…

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Egypt’s Sisi visits Saudi Arabia amid financial pressure, regional realignment

RIYADH (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Saudi state news agency SPA said, as Cairo seeks financial inflows to ease pressure on its currency…

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Saudi Arabia to invite Syria’s Assad to Arab leaders summit

RIYADH/BEIRUT, April 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is planning to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to an Arab League summit that Riyadh is hosting in May, three sources familiar with…

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Women in Iran to be prosecuted ‘without mercy’ for not wearing veils

April 1 (Reuters) - President Ebrahim Raisi said on Saturday that the hijab was the law in Iran after a viral video showed a man throwing yoghurt at two unveiled…

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UPDATED: Russia’s MTS Bank guarantees UAE clients’ funds after licence withdrawn

MOSCOW, March 31 (Reuters) - Russia's MTS Bank on Friday guaranteed the safety of existing customers' funds in the United Arab Emirates for six months and said it would continue…

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UAE president names son Abu Dhabi crown prince, brothers to top roles

Abu Dhabi succession moves to next generation in Gulf-wide trend Analysts see further consolidation of power in Abu Dhabi UAE has emerged as a key regional player By Yousef Saba…

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Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers to meet during Muslim holy month

March 27 (Reuters) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, have agreed to meet during the ongoing Muslim holy month of…

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After Iran, Saudi Arabia to re-establish ties with Syria

Saudi Arabia, Syria cut ties more than a decade ago Agreement on reopening embassies follows Saudi-Iran deal BEIRUT/RIYADH, (Reuters) - Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reopen their embassies…

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EU imposes further sanctions on Iran for human rights violations

The European Union on Monday imposed a new package of sanctions against Iran, its sixth, in response to human rights violations, adding eight individuals and one entity to its list.…

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20th anniversary of the Iraq War: quotes from the conflict and its aftermath

At dawn on 20 March 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom began with 295,000 US and allied troops invading Iraq across its border with Kuwait. 70,000 members of the Kurdish Peshmerga militia…

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Iran proposes locations to Saudi Arabia for FM meeting

DUBAI, March 19 (Reuters) - The Iranian government has proposed to Saudi Arabia three locations for a meeting at foreign minister level, Iran's foreign minister said on Sunday, citing the…

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Syria’s Assad arrives in United Arab Emirates in official visit

DUBAI, March 19 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al Assad arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday for an official visit, accompanied by his wife Asma al Assad,…

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Kuwait court voids 2022 legislative polls, reinstates disbanded parliament

KUWAIT, March 19 (Reuters) - Kuwait's Constitutional Court on Sunday voided results of legislative elections held in the Gulf Arab state last September and ruled that the previous disbanded parliament…

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U.S. grapples with forces unleashed by Iraq invasion 20 years later

Invasion led to diminished US influence in Mideast Toppling of Saddam emboldened Iran, unnerved Gulf Arabs Limit on US troop numbers enabled communal strife Islamic State filled vacuum left by…

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Saudi investment in Iran could happen ‘very quickly’ after agreement – minister

By Rachna Uppal RIYADH, March 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's finance minister, Mohammed al-Jadaan, said on Wednesday that Saudi investments into Iran could happen "very quickly" following an agreement. "There…

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Pardons issued in Iran for 22,000 people arrested in demonstrations after Mahsa Amini’s death

Some 22,000 people arrested in the recent Iran protests that swept the Islamic Republic have been pardoned, according to the country's head of judiciary. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi was quoted as…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Tochal mountain, Iran

An aerial view of the Tochal mountain near Tehran, Iran. Photo: EPA-EFE/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

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Iran and Saudi Arabia agree to resume ties, re-open embassies

March 10 (Reuters) - Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations after talks in Beijing between officials from the two rival Middle East powers, Iranian state media…

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Qatar Airways to boost flights by 21% as demand rebounds

Qatar Airways announced plans for sharp growth on Tuesday, as the travel industry recovers from the pandemic. Announcing objectives at the ITB tourism fair in Berlin, the Gulf carrier said…

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Pentagon chief makes unannounced trip to Iraq as 20-year anniversary of invasion nears

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made an unannounced trip to Iraq on Tuesday in a visit an official said was aimed at showing that Washington was committed to keeping its…

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Saudi Arabia deposits $5 bln in Turkey’s central bank

DUBAI, March 6 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with Turkey to deposit $5 billion in the country's central bank through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), the…

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Khamenei says poisoning of schoolgirls in Iran is an “unforgivable crime”

DUBAI, March 6 (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader said on Monday that poisoning of Iranian schoolgirls in recent months is an "unforgivable" crime amid spread of suspected poisoning across the…

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Kuwait re-appoints Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah as PM

KUWAIT, March 5 (Reuters) - Kuwait's crown prince re-appointed Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah as prime minister and asked him to nominate a cabinet, state news agency KUNA reported on Sunday,…

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Protests break out in Iran over schoolgirl illnesses

(Reuters) - Worried parents protested in Iran's capital Tehran and other cities on Saturday over a wave of suspected poison attacks that have affected schoolgirls in dozens of schools, according…

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UN nuclear watchdog chief cites ‘great expectation’ in talks with Iran

March 4 (Reuters) - The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Saturday talks were ongoing with Iran on two sets of important matters, including the science sector, and there…

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Iran releases Spanish woman after three months in jail over protests

A Spanish woman imprisoned in Iran since November on espionage charges after she was arrested during anti-government protests in November has been released, the Spanish Foreign Minister said on Sunday. An activist who works for a…

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Iran says it has developed long-range cruise missile

DUBAI, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Iran has developed a cruise missile with a range of 1,650 km (1,025 miles) a top Revolutionary Guards commander said, in a move likely to…

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FATF watchdog: Qatar should make improvements in fight against financial crime

DOHA, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A global financial crime watchdog on Friday said Qatar's technical compliance with its standards was very strong but the Gulf state needed to make improvements…

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