NEW YORK, US- President Joe Biden said the United States would keep piling "costs" on Iran despite a prisoner swap deal that freed five Americans on Monday.Biden confirmed that he was imposing new sanctions on Iran's intelligence ministry and former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for their involvement in "wrongful detentions.""Today, five innocent...

Muscat, Oman--Annual inflation of Oman has shot up 0.82 percent in August as against 2.4 percent in the same month of last year, according to the country’s National Center for Statistics and Information. But compared with the previous month, Oman’s inflation rate sunk to its lowest level in 28 months to...

Doha, Qatar - The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) revealed the lists of nine works that would be included in the 9th Katara Prize for Arabic Novel.This includes published novels, unpublished novels, young adult unpublished novels and unpublished critical studies, with a total reaching 36 novels and critical studies, Qatar News...

Tehran, Iran - Iran has seized two oil tankers allegedly carrying smuggled fuel in the Gulf and arrested their crews, state television announced on Friday."The Revolutionary Guards naval forces seized two ships over the course of the last two days," state television said, citing Mohammad-Sharif Shirali, a Guards commander."The seized tankers......

The Houthis' visit, expected within the coming days, will raise hopes of a breakthrough in the quagmire conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead through direct and indirect causes such as famine. It comes five months after Saudi officials held talks in Sanaa, and as a UN-brokered ceasefire continues...

GCC banks experienced robust lending growth during Q2-2023, despite multi-decade high rates from US hikes, with loans from GCC-listed banks hitting a record $1.9 trillion.

Muscat, Oman -- The revenues of 3-5-star hotels in Oman reached RO 122.5 million ($318 million) at the end of July 2023, up by 27.8 percent over the corresponding period in 2022.Statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) show that the total number of hotel guests...

Muscat, Oman--Oman has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea in the field of green energy transition.The MoU reflects the advanced status of bilateral relations and the two countries’ keenness to consolidate cooperation in green transition.The MoU was signed by Eng. Salim Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy...

Tehran, Iran -- Iran has expressed its readiness to finalize the provisions of a strategic document on comprehensive cooperation with Oman.In a telephonic conversation, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi exchanged views on issues of mutual interest in bilateral, regional and international arenas.Amirabdollahian highlighted...

Amid Russian-Ukrainian war, Europe aims to diversify its energy sources, with Gulf countries like Qatar, UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia offering alternative natural gas options.

TEHRAN, IRAN - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has met with diplomat Assadollah Assadi, recently freed by Belgium in a high-profile prisoner swap case in May, the presidency site said on Saturday."The claimants of human rights have shown once again that they do not adhere to any law," Raisi said in reference...

Its cargo revenue recorded a 42% jump in H1 to US$57.9m.

Muscat, Oman-- Oman LNG has signed an agreement with Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE) to supply 400,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year from 2026.According to Oman News Agency, the agreement with the German company is based on a four-year contract.“The term-sheet signing with SEFE marks another milestone. Going...

New Delhi, India -- The UAE ranks first among the countries in the world in the employment of Indians, currently employing more than 3.55 million people from the world's most populous country, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, told parliament.The number of Indians in the UAE last...

Tehran, Iran -- Oman has said it has been making efforts to facilitate regional and international cooperation by with the active participation of Iran.In a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart on Tuesday, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi referred to the recent talks between Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and...

Muscat, Oman-- Oman's total domestic production of natural gas shot up 2.3 percent to 26.19 billion cubic meters (CBM) until the end of June 2023, as compared to the same period in 2022, when the total amounted to 25.60 billion cubic meters.Statistics issued by the National Center for Statistics and...

Muscat, Oman--Oman annual inflation rate reached 0.69 percent by the end of June 2023, according to the monthly consumer price survey data issued by the Oman's National Center for Statistics and Information.The inflation rate was driven by the increase in most of the main groups that make up the consumer...

Tokyo, Japan--Japan's crude oil imports from the United Arab Emirates amounted to 25.63 million barrels in June 2023, or 37.4 percent of total imports, the Natural Resources and Energy Agency of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said.During June, Japan's total crude oil imports were 68.5 million barrels, of...

TRENDS Infographics explores prominent Arab nations in the latest Global Soft Power Index, with the UAE leading the way by entering the top 10, a first for the Middle East.

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Oman and Etihad Rail Company (OERC) signed a deal with Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel (Jindal) to establish a sustainable end-to-end transport logistics solution between Jindal’s steel complex at Sohar Port and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), via the UAE-Oman Rail Network.The deal is a part...

Tehran, Iran - Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched naval drills on Wednesday near strategic Gulf islands controlled by Iran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates, state media said.The manoeuvres, which were being held mainly near Abu Musa island but also around Greater and Lesser Tunb, came two weeks after the United...

The country ascends four spots in Kearney's 2023 Global Services Location Index, reflecting its thriving business environment and emergence as a tech hub with 4,000+ startups.

Muscat, Oman-- Oman's inflation rate increased by 2.8 percent in 2022 as the consumers price index (CPI) registered 109.7 points compared to 106.7 points in 2021.According to the data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), there was a rise in the prices of main groups in...

New customers and projects were added in H1 2023.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced on Thursday that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) to expand cooperation and investment between the two entities, enabling new investments in Oman’s rapidly growing economy.The MoU provides incentives for PIF and...

Deal will provide firm access to capital in dual currencies.

PIF ranked seventh with a score of 92 (on the GSR score of 100), followed by Mubadala (88), among the SWFs. Regionally, the Middle East saw the biggest improvement from 32 percent in 2020 to 52 percent in 2023. It said Saudi PIF is managing to make its unparalleled growth sustainable by...

Muscat, Oman--Oman's gross domestic product (GDP) at constant prices recorded an increase of 4.7 per cent to reach $22.59 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2023.The GDP at constant price was $21.71 billion in the first quarter of 2022, according to the initial data issued by the...

Iran said it was hoping indirect talks with the United States could lead to a "positive" outcome for a prisoner swap. Iran announced earlier this month that it was engaged in Oman-mediated talks with its arch-nemesis the United States over its nuclear deal and a possible prisoner exchange.

MUSCAT, OMAN - Oman announced the seizure of over six million captagon pills during a bust aided by Saudi Arabia that resulted in the arrest of a smuggling network."In cooperation with Saudi authorities", police in the sultanate tracked and ambushed an "international network that was smuggling large quantities of drugs and...

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian's visit to the UAE followed stops in Qatar, Kuwait and Oman -- the latest in a flurry of diplomatic moves by Tehran as it seeks to reduce its isolation, improve its economy and project strength. He discussed "bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation" with UAE President Sheikh...

ran said last week it had been engaged in indirect negotiations with the United States through Oman, with nuclear issues, US sanctions and detainees on the agenda. The following day, Iran's nuclear negotiator said he had met with diplomats from three European countries in Abu Dhabi to discuss a number...

Tehran, Iran-- Looking to give a further boost to the relations between the two countries, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Doha to discuss bilateral relations, as well as major regional and international developments, with high-ranking Qatari officials.Amir-Abdollahian left Tehran for Qatar’s capital late Monday on an official invitation...

MUSCAT, OMAN - Oman’s economic growth is expected to rebound to 2.7 percent in 2024 but will slip in 2023 to 1.3 percent, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Monday.The projections reflect the oil production cuts by OPEC+, moderate growth in the non-hydrocarbon sector and a slowdown in global...

Muscat, Oman - The small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are playing a critical role in ushering in Oman's shift towards a low carbon economy, a report released by Tejarah Talks has revealed. The report highlights the significance of eco-innovation, eco-adoption, and eco-entrepreneurship in harnessing the potential of SMEs to contribute...

Muscat, Oman - India and Oman trade in 2022 reached $9.98 billion reflecting the deepening economic and commercial ties between the two nations. The nearly 90 percent growth in trade compared to the previous year highlights the strong demand for Indian goods and services in Oman, coupled with growing investment flows...

Iran said it has continued indirect negotiations with the Unites States through the Sultanate of Oman over its nuclear deal and a possible prisoner swap. Iran's nuclear program has long been the subject of scrutiny from Western powers, resulting in sanctions that have crippled the country's economy.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia and Oman have launched a joint tourist visa to boost trade and investment cooperation in tourism-related projects.The unified tourist visa between the two countries was one of the several initiatives agreed upon at a high-level meeting held between officials of the two countries. The new cooperation in...

Muscat, Oman-- Looking to entice investors to the country's fisheries sector, Fisheries Development Oman (FDO) is taking part in Saudi International Marine Exhibition and Conference (SIMEC) event, Aquafish Second Edition, with a plan to highlight Oman's flourishing fishing industry and lucrative investment opportunities it offers.The event, taking place from June...

One Dane and two Austrian-Iranian citizens released from detention by Tehran arrived in their home countries, after the latest in a series of prisoner swaps. The three Europeans had landed at Melsbroek military airport just outside Brussels. They had flown there from Muscat, the capital of Oman which helped broker...

Iran released one Danish and two Austrian-Iranian citizens it had been holding after mediation by Oman, and they are being flown to Belgium, said the country's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. This comes a week after Tehran freed a Belgian aid worker in exchange for an Iranian diplomat who was...

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he would welcome a resumption of diplomatic relations with Egypt, during a meeting with Oman's visiting Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. Ties between Tehran and Cairo soured following the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and Egypt's recognition of Israel, the Islamic republic's sworn enemy.

His trip comes just two days after Tehran freed Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele from almost 15 months in custody in exchange for diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who was held in Belgium over a 2018 plot to bomb an Iranian opposition rally outside Paris. Oman helped facilitate the prisoner swap

Iran freed Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele after almost 15 months in custody, in a prisoner exchange for an Iranian diplomat convicted of terrorism. Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said the 42-year-old had arrived in Oman and added: "If all goes to plan, he'll be with us this evening....

The new envoy, Alireza Enayati, previously served as Iran's ambassador to Kuwait, assistant to the foreign minister and director general of Gulf affairs at the foreign ministry, the English-language Iran Daily said. There was no immediate confirmation of his appointment from the foreign ministry of the Islamic republic.

Oman has close ties with Iran and played a mediating role between Tehran and Washington in the build-up to a nuclear deal reached in 2015. Stop-start talks began in April last year to restore the deal, after the US unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, prompting Tehran to roll back...

Alqasmi, who has published four novels and 10 poetry collections, is the first Omani winner of the prize, now in its 16th year. He was announced this year's winner at a ceremony in the United Arab Emirates' capital of Abu Dhabi.

Cairo, Egypt--Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tareq reviewed bilateral relations and regional issues in talks in Cairo on SUnday. The two leaders shared views on the importance of intensifying efforts to protect the interests of Arab peoples, Presidency Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said.Before the summit talks,...

Iran said it is capable of ensuring the safety of the vital Gulf waters in cooperation with neighboring countries. Iran and its neighboring countries are capable of cooperating for the security of the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Sea of Oman," Iran's Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces,...

Manama, Bahrain - Beyon has announced a major investment of more than $250 million in state-of-the-art digital infrastructure in Bahrain which will support the growth of the country’s digital economy. Batelco, part of the Beyon group, has joined the SEA-ME-WE 6 (Southeast Asia - Middle East - Western Europe) consortium, which...