Oman opens temporary Hormuz shipping corridor as efforts intensify to restore maritime traffic
Muscat said the measure was intended to safeguard freedom of navigation in accordance with international maritime law and without imposing...
Geostrategy
Digital Dubai’s contribution lifts Dubai in global city brand rankings
DUBAI, June 22 — Digital Dubai contributed an estimated AED31 billion ($8.5 billion) to Dubai’s overall brand value, helping the...
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Geostrategy
Trump says Xi wants Hormuz Strait reopened amid Iran conflict
US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened, following talks between the two...
- Trump said both leaders agreed that the strategically important shipping route should remain open as tensions in the Gulf continue to impact oil markets worldwide
- “He’d like to see the Hormuz Strait open,” Trump said of Xi. “He said if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help.”
Geostrategy
Seizure of vessel anchored near UAE coast close to Hormuz raises Gulf tensions
The incident came hours after India condemned an attack on an Indian-flagged vessel off Oman’s coast, calling continued assaults on...
- Malaysia warned Iranian-linked “shadow fleet” oil transfers near its waters exploited maritime loopholes across major Asian shipping corridors.
- Iran staged a mass World Cup departure rally in Tehran despite continuing uncertainty surrounding travel and participation in the United States.
Geostrategy
Pentagon raises Iran war cost to $29 billion
The Pentagon on Tuesday revised the estimated cost of the war on Iran to nearly $29 billion, roughly $4 billion...
- The updated estimate emerged during back-to-back hearings on the Pentagon’s nearly $1.45 trillion budget request for the upcoming fiscal year
- Pentagon comptroller Jay Hurst clarified that the new figure does not include the cost of repairing U.S. military facilities damaged in Iranian missile and drone attacks
Geostrategy
Donald Trump says US-Iran ceasefire deal on ‘life support’
Shipping disruptions, sanctions and worsening humanitarian fears deepen global anxiety as Washington rejects Tehran’s latest peace proposal over nuclear concessions.
- UK and France prepared new Hormuz defence coordination talks as regional governments feared prolonged disruption to energy and fertiliser shipments.
- Saudi Aramco warned continued Strait disruptions could delay global oil market normalization until 2027 despite rapid production expansion capability.
Geostrategy
US slaps fresh sanctions on China-linked firms over Iran missile program
The United States on Friday announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting people and companies in China, Hong Kong, Belarus,...
- The sanctions come as tensions continue to rise in the Persian Gulf amid ongoing clashes between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz
- The measures are aimed at disrupting Iran’s military industrial supply chain and restricting its access to materials required to build drones and missiles
Geostrategy
Artificial intelligence rapidly reshaping cybersecurity: WEF
The AI and Cyber: Empowering Defenders report, developed in collaboration with KPMG, highlights measurable gains in cost reduction, response speed...
- Some 94% of cyber leaders identify AI as a defining force and 77% of organisations already use it in their cyber operations.
- The report emphasises that AI’s value in cybersecurity lies in augmenting human expertise, accelerating decisions and strengthening resilience.
Geostrategy
Emirates restores 96 percent global network after disruption
The airline said it now operates to 137 destinations across 72 countries, with more than 1,300 weekly flights, representing about...
- Even during reduced operations, Emirates carried 4.7 million passengers, underscoring resilient travel demand despite widespread disruption to regional air routes.
- The recovery follows a significant disruption triggered by the recent Iran-related conflict, which led to widespread airspace restrictions across parts of the Gulf and West Asia.
Geostrategy
Renewed fighting likely, Washington couldn’t be trusted: Iran commander
Mohammad Jafar Asadi's remarks came after Trump's assertion that he was dissatisfied with Iran’s latest offer, delivered through Pakistani mediators....
- Iranian lawmakers are considering legislation that would direct 30% of Hormuz transit tolls toward military infrastructure, with the remainder allocated to economic development.
- NATO said it is seeking clarification from Washington after the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months.
Geostrategy
Trump claims war powers law doesn’t apply as Iran hostilities ‘terminated’
US President Donald Trump has told Congress that he does not need authorisation for military action against Iran, arguing that...
- Trump argued that there had “been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7,” and that hostilities “have terminated.
- Hours later, Trump appeared to contradict his position, stating: “You know we’re in a war,” adding, “Because I think you would agree we cannot let lunatics have a nuclear weapon'
Geostrategy
Khamenei signals Iran control over Strait of Hormuz, rejects US role
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a strong statement asserting that the United States should have no role...
- The statement, released on Iran’s National Day of the Persian Gulf, also reaffirmed Iran’s determination to retain its nuclear capabilities
- “By the will and power of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without America,” the statement said
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Oman opens temporary Hormuz shipping corridor as efforts intensify to restore maritime traffic
Muscat said the measure was intended to safeguard freedom of navigation in accordance with international maritime law and without imposing...
Geostrategy
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1.1 billion children worldwide face three climate threats
Dubai, UAE -- Nearly half of the world's children – or around 1.1 billion children – are exposed to at...
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Oil prices fall to lowest levels since March on Hormuz opening expactations
Questions over shipping fees, sanctions relief and regional security persisted even as negotiators prepared for a formal signing ceremony in...
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Vance says Hormuz reopening details pending as Israel vows to stay in seized territories
Fresh questions emerged over implementation of the US-Iran agreement as negotiators grappled with security guarantees, territorial disputes and unresolved nuclear...
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US and Iran agree to ‘immediate’ end to military operations, will sign MoU in Switzerland
The content of the agreement, which follows weeks of fraught negotiations and periodic threats from Trump of fresh hostilities unless...
- The agreement, brokered with the help of Pakistan, was announced after weeks of conflict between the United States and Iran.
- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that a ceasefire would take effect immediately and said negotiations on a final agreement would continue for 60 days.
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Trump predicts Iran accord to be signed soon, Hormuz to open
Mediators voiced growing optimism that weeks of negotiations were nearing completion, while competing narratives from Washington and Tehran underscored lingering...
- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said a signing date had not yet been determined and indicated an accord would not be signed on Sunday.
- Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on X that the agreement was closer “than ever before” and expected to be finalised within 24 hours.
Geostrategy
Iran says draft accord to end the war could be signed within days
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the proposed framework would address issues including the U.S. naval blockade and the future...
- Araghchi said Tehran wanted any agreement to allow Iran to charge ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz for what he described as services provided during passage.
- Iran introduced a toll system during the conflict, a move the United States and several other countries have argued violates international law.