Gulf

Oman opens airspace, joining Saudi in Israeli airline corridor

DUBAI, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Oman's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Thursday said the Gulf Arab state's airspace will be open for all civilian carriers, a move that would enable…

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Photo Story: Libyan warlord Haftar visits Abu Dhabi defence fair

Commander of the Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar (C), tours the 16th edition of International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) and the 7th edition of the Naval…

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IAEA finds uranium enriched to 84% in Iran, near bomb-grade -diplomats

Agency in discussions with Iran on recent findings, it says Diplomats say it found uranium enriched to highest level yet Unclear whether new level was a blip or on purpose…

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Arab states need new approach towards Syria, says Saudi foreign minister

DUBAI, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said consensus was building in the Arab world that isolating Syria was not working and that dialogue with Damascus was needed…

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Overnight protests rock Tehran, other Iranian cities

Feb 17 (Reuters) - Protests rocked Iran again overnight after a seeming slowdown in recent weeks, with marchers calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, online video posts purportedly…

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China set to seal mega Qatari LNG deal

China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) is close to finalising a deal to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from QatarEnergy over nearly 30 years from the Middle Eastern exporter's massive North…

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Opposition groups rally in France, in solidarity with protesters in Iran

Thousands of opponents of Iran's ruling authorities rallied for a second day in Paris on Sunday (February 12) to pressure European Union states to list Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a…

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Online hackers interrupt state TV coverage as Iran marks 44th anniversary of revolution as

Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Islamic Republic marked the 44th anniversary of the Iranian revolution on Saturday with state-organised rallies, as anti-government hackers briefly interrupted a televised speech by President…

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Iran reveals an underground air force base

(Reuters) - Iran revealed an underground air force base, called "Eagle 44" and the first of its kind large enough to house fighter jets, the official IRNA news agency said.…

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Saudi minister warns sanctions, underinvestment may cause energy shortages

DUBAI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman warned on Saturday that sanctions and underinvestment in the energy sector could result in a shortage of energy…

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Veterinarian helps pets survive in war-torn Yemen

Yemeni Adeeb Saleh poses with his cat inside the 'Vet for Pet' clinic in Sanaa. In the nearly eight years war-torn Yemen where millions of people are in the brink…

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Iran’s Supreme leader pardons large number of security-related prisoners linked to protests

(Reuters) - Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pardoned "tens of thousands" of prisoners, including many arrested in recent anti-government protests over security-related charges, state media reported on Sunday. "Prisoners…

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Iran, Russia link banking systems amid Western sanctions

ran and Russia have connected their interbank communication and transfer systems to help boost trade and financial transactions, a senior Iranian official said on Monday, as both Tehran and Moscow are chafing under Western…

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People die as strong quake hits northwest Iran

DUBAI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 struck northwest Iran near the border with Turkey on Saturday, killing at least three people and injuring more than 300,…

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Azerbaijan strongly protests to Iran after fatal embassy shooting

A gunman shot dead a security guard and wounded two other people at Azerbaijan's embassy in Iran on Friday, in an attack Baku branded an "act of terrorism" that it…

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Qatar should not be dragged into EU corruption scandal, minister tells CNBC

(Reuters) - Qatar's foreign minister said his country should not be dragged into a cash-for-influence corruption scandal at the European Parliament with investigations still ongoing, rejecting allegations of Doha's involvement…

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Iran warns EU against listing Revolutionary Guards as terrorist entity

DUBAI, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Iran warned on Thursday that the European Union would "shoot itself in the foot" by listing the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist entity, Foreign Minister…

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Magnitude 5.6 earthquake strikes northwestern Iran -EMSC

DUBAI, Jan 18 (Reuters) - A 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Iran on Wednesday, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). The quake's epicentre was close to the town of…

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French President Macron: Iran’s latest execution is heinous and barbaric act

PARIS, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The execution of British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari is a heinous and barbaric act, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday. Macron said he stood in solidarity with Britain which…

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UAE’s Jaber says COP28 should be practical, leave no one behind

By Rachna Uppal and Yousef Saba ABU DHABI, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates wants the COP28 climate conference it is hosting this year to be practical and…

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Qatar, UAE energy ministers say gas will be needed for long time

By Yousef Saba and Rachna Uppal ABU DHABI, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The world will need natural gas for a long time and more investment is required to ensure supply…

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Factbox: Alireza Akbari: the British-Iranian executed by Tehran

Jan 14 (Reuters) - Iran has executed British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported on Saturday, after sentencing the former Iranian deputy defence minister to death on…

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UPDATED: Iran executes British-Iranian national, UK condemns ‘barbaric’ act

Alireza Akbari was a former Iranian deputy defence minister Arrested in 2019, he was accused of spying for Britain UK's Sunak calls it 'a callous and cowardly act' Britain had…

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Man United, Tottenham, Liverpool takeover targets for Qatar fund – Bloomberg News

English Premier League clubs Manchester United Plc, Tottenham Hotspur, or Liverpool FC are being targeted by Qatar Sports Investments over a potential acquisition, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman…

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Germany says it wants to increase pressure on Iran after latest executions

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday condemned Iran for using the death penalty against demonstrators, and his spokesperson said Berlin wanted to crank up pressure on the Iranian authorities with…

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Iran hangs two men accused of killing security agent during protests

(Reuters) -Iran hanged two men on Saturday for allegedly killing a member of the security forces during nationwide protests that followed the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini on Sept.…

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Qatar to require all travelers from China to have a COVID test

(Reuters) - Qatar will from Tuesday require travellers arriving from China to provide a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 48 hours of departure, Qatar's state news agency QNA said…

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Dubai scraps 30% alcohol tax

DUBAI, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Dubai has suspended a tax of 30% on alcohol and dropped a licence fee previously needed to buy alcohol in the commercial and tourism hub,…

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Iran’s clerical leaders to grapple with deepening dissent in 2023

By Parisa Hafezi (Reuters) - Nationwide protests sparked by the death in custody of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini have ushered Iran into a new era of deepening crisis between…

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Iran says UK-linked arrests reflect ‘destructive role’ in protests

Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday the arrests of citizens linked to the United Kingdom reflected Britain's "destructive role" in the recent protests in the Islamic Republic. Iran has accused…

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Unrest in Iran hits 100 days

A hundred days after they began, the longest running anti-government protests in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution have shaken the regime, but at a heavy cost to the people.…

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Iran ready for dialogue at regional summit, little progress made

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi DEAD SEA, Jordan, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Iran signalled its readiness for dialogue with regional states during a conference its arch foe Saudi Arabia attended in Jordan on Tuesday which yielded…

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EU and Iran to continue working on nuclear deal, Borrell says

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday condemned Iran's support for Russia in its war in Ukraine and the ongoing repression of opposition in the country, but said the EU would continue to…

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U.S. leaves door open for Iran nuclear diplomacy

For nearly two years the United States has tried and failed to negotiate a revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal yet Washington and its European allies refuse to close…

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Qatar reiterates denial that its government involved in EU corruption case

DUBAI (Reuters) - Qatar reiterated on Sunday that the country denies any involvement in a corruption case being investigated by Belgian authorities involving people linked to the European Parliament. Belgian…

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Iran likely to be ousted from U.N. women’s body

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Iran appears set to be ousted from a U.N. women's body on Wednesday for policies contrary to the rights of women and girls, but…

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Iran carries out second execution linked to wave of popular protests

DUBAI (Reuters) -The Islamic Republic on Monday hanged a man in public who state media said had been convicted of killing two members of the security forces, the second execution…

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UAE asks state entities to buy local in food security push

DUBAI, Dec 11 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates has directed government entities such as the armed forces and hospital authorities to buy locally grown produce to support agri-tech efforts…

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Saudi energy minister sees no clear results yet from Russia price cap

European sanctions, price caps did not bring clear results There is uncertainity in implementation of Dec. 5 measures Central Banks still preoccupied with managing inflation Impact of China easing COVID-19…

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Joint UAE-Saudi statement says UAE president, Saudi crown prince led mediation to release Griner

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates president and Saudi crown prince led mediation efforts that secured the release of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner in a prisoner swap with…

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UPDATED: Iran executes protester for injuring security guard with knife

Iran hanged a man on Thursday convicted of injuring a security guard with a knife and blocking a street in Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said, the first such…

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Khamenei calls for overhaul of Iran’s cultural system

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Tuesday called for "revolutionary reconstruction of the country's cultural system", state media reported, as nationwide protests kept up pressure on…

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Saudi and China strengthen energy, trade and investment ties

Saudi Arabia will host a China-Arab summit on Dec. 9 attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the leaders of the two countries expected to discuss trade ties and regional…

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Iran executes four men convicted of cooperating with Israel’s Mossad, state media report

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran on Sunday executed four men convicted of cooperating with Israel's spy agency Mossad, Iranian state media reported. The Islamic Republic has long accused arch-enemy Israel of…

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Iran state body reports 200 dead in protests, Raisi hails ‘freedoms

Dec 3 (Reuters) - President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday hailed Iran's Islamic Republic as a guarantor of rights and freedoms, defending the the ruling system amid a crackdown on anti-government…

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Iran says it has proof that Western states were involved in protests

DUBAI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Iran has proof that Western nations were involved in protests that have swept the country, the foreign ministry said on Monday. The protests, sparked by…

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Niece of Iran’s Supreme Leader urges world to cut ties with Tehran

(Reuters) - Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's niece, a well known rights activist, has called on foreign governments to cut all ties with Tehran over its violent crackdown on…

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U.S.-Saudi ties under review despite Khashoggi immunity ruling, Blinken says

The U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia is still under review despite a Biden administration ruling that the Saudi crown prince has immunity from a lawsuit over the murder of Jamal…

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Iran situation ‘critical’ with more than 300 killed -UN rights chief

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday that the situation in Iran was "critical", describing a hardening of the authorities' response to protests that have resulted in…

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Dubai Islamic Bank sells $750 million in debut sustainable sukuk

Dubai Islamic Bank sold $750 million of its debut sustainable Islamic bond on Tuesday, a bank document showed. The sukuk, which mature in five years, were sold at 155 basis…

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Iran to help Russia build drones for Ukraine war, Post says

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia has reached agreement with Iran to begin manufacturing hundreds of unmanned weaponised aircraft on Russian soil, The Washington Post reported, citing intelligence seen by U.S. and…

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Al Qaeda urges Muslims to shun World Cup, stops short of threats

CAIRO, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's regional branch urged Muslims around the world to shun the soccer World Cup in Qatar, though it stopped short of threatening attacks or promoting violence…

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Qatar’s moment of truth has come

(Reuters) - The moment of truth for Qatar's ability to organise the World Cup after years of failed overtures and criticism over labour rights and strict laws has come. Predicaments…

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Iran leader says ‘enemies’ may target workers as protests rage

DUBAI, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Protests raged on at Iranian universities and in some cities on Saturday as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the country's "enemies" may try to mobilise workers…

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Iran protests: Social media videos show flames at home of late leader Khomeini

DUBAI (Reuters) - Video clips showing a fire at the ancestral home in Iran of the Islamic Republic's late founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, have appeared on social media, with activists…

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Britain says drone circles vessel in Gulf of Oman after strike on tanker

DUBAI, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Britain's maritime agency said a drone circled a ship in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, three days after an Iranian-made drone attacked a tanker…

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Biden administration says Saudi prince has immunity in Khashoggi killing lawsuit

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Biden administration ruled that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has immunity from a lawsuit over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, drawing immediate condemnation from…

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