Calling for better ties with West, Iran reformist wins presidency
In the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini in southern Tehran, Pezeshkian gave a speech thanking his supporters, saying their votes have...Geostrategy
Iraqi armed groups say ready to fight Israel if Lebanon war breaks out
Baghdad, Iraq - As war rages in Gaza and threatens to spread to Lebanon, Iraqi militant groups warn they are ready...Geostrategy
European Union pledges $600 million for Syrians fleeing war
Last year's donors' conference in Brussels for displaced Syrians raised pledges of $6.7 billion, and the one before that $6.4...Since 2011, more than 500,000 people have been killed in Syria after Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on peaceful protesters pushed country into civil war.
The UN says more than 12 million Syrians were displaced by the conflict, most of them inside Syria, and with 5.4 million living as refugees in neighboring countries.
Iranian president boosts Nicaragua ties on tour of US-sanctioned countries
In Venezuela, Raisi and Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro announced that they signed 25 accords, across sectors ranging from education and...The Iranian leader, whose country is also sanctioned by the United States, kicked off his trip in Venezuela earlier this week before flying to Nicaragua
Raisi added that Iran and the Central American country "share a common history of struggle, of resistance, of revolutions, of combat against a common enemy"
‘Voiceless’, destitute: Lebanon’s Syrian refugees lose hope for return
Lebanese authorities say the country hosts around two million Syrians, while more than 800,000 are registered with the UN --...Aid groups warned that support for Syrians at home and abroad has dwindled, as the international community meets in Brussels this week for a pledging conference
Amid a crushing economic crisis that has pushed most of Lebanon into poverty, anti-Syrian sentiment has soared, the government has called for refugees to leave
Saudi foreign minister to visit Iran on Saturday
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, is scheduled to visit Tehran on Saturday,...This visit follows the agreement reached in March, facilitated by China, which aimed to end the prolonged hostility between the two countries
Earlier in June, the foreign ministers of the two countries met in South Africa to discuss plans for the full restoration of relations
Xi calls for a Palestinian state to become a ‘full member’ of UN in meeting with Abbas
Beijing has sought to boost its ties in the Middle East, challenging US influence -- efforts that have sparked unease...Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration in March of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia
Xi told Abbas at a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People that China was "ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Palestinian side."
Saudi embrace of China signals shift in Middle East geopolitics
China's approach, characterized by a combination of economic incentives and a focus on development, contrasts with the more assertive and...The diminishing US presence in the Middle East has compelled Gulf countries to seek new alliances, and China has positioned itself as a prominent alternative
China's approach, characterized by a combination of economic incentives and a focus on development, contrasts with the more assertive and unilateral approach of the US
Arab nations account for 25 percent of Israel’s 2022 arms exports
Jerusalem, Undefined - Israeli defense exports hit an all-time high of $12.5 billion last year, with Arab countries that recently established...One quarter of deals were for drone systems, with "missiles, rockets and air defense systems" making up another 19 percent.
The US-brokered Abraham Accords from 2020 saw Israel normalize ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
GCC banking’s tech shift saves time, money
GCC banks started adopting online and mobile banking, and ATMs, in the 1990s and 2000s. More recently, they've integrated advanced...As of 2019, there were over 5,000 bank branches in the GCC region, catering to a population exceeding 50 million.
On average, customers spent about 30 minutes in these branches to avail themselves of banking services.
Lebanon lawmakers fail to elect president at 12th attempt
The vote for the presidency, reserved for a Maronite Christian under Lebanon's delicate sectarian power-sharing system, pitted the Hezbollah-backed Sleiman...Lebanon is facing a double power vacuum, with the country governed by a caretaker cabinet with limited powers for more than a year.
France and the US have renewed calls for Lebanese lawmakers to cooperate and elect a new president.
Saudi Crown Prince set to meet Macron in France
Mohammed bin Salman has left for a state visit to France where he will meet President Emmanuel Macron, a statement...Saudi Crown Prince will take part in the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris next week, the Royal Court statement said
In December 2021, Macron became one of the first Western leaders to meet Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia since 2018
