By Ahmed Tolba, Nafisa Eltahir and Yasmine Ghania CAIRO/DUBAI, July 31 (Reuters) – Oil prices rose on Friday after Iran said it had stopped two vessels seeking to exit the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring concerns over global energy supplies following a drone attack on ships in a Mediterranean Egyptian port this week. Iran said four…
Iraq will sign an agreement with Syria on the construction of pipelines linking oil production sites to global export markets via the Mediterranean, according to a statement. Iraq to sign an agreement with Syria on construction of pipelines linked to oil production sites. (Representational/AFP) The Iraqi cabinet authorized the director general of Basra Oil Co….
NAJAF, July 7 (Reuters) – The coffin of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Tuesday after funeral ceremonies in Iran, bringing a multi-day procession to one of Shi’ite Islam’s most sacred sites following the leader’s death in a February 28 U.S.-Israeli strike. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali…
In their 2022 book Sinostan, Raffaello Pantucci and Alexandros Petersen saw Central Asia as China’s “inadvertent empire”. If that is true – and the five-country region embracing Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan (informally called the C5) certainly sits at the heart of China’s Belt and Road Initiative – then Beijing could not have chosen…
WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) – Iraqi officials have approached the International Monetary Fund about securing financial assistance as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, a source close to the IMF said on Thursday. Initial conversations took place last month during the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington, and…
US President Donald Trump is known for backing leaders he believes should lead their countries. This time, his endorsement appears to be for Iraq, where he is backing lesser-known Iraqi tycoon Ali Al Zaidi, who has emerged as a likely contender for Iraq’s next prime minister. New Iraqi Prime Minister designate Ali al-Zaidi, uses a…
DUBAI, April 17 (Reuters) – Significant differences between Iran and the United States remain to reach a deal aimed at ending the war, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday, adding that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is “conditional on U.S. adherence to the terms of ceasefire”. The official, who spoke on condition…
A federal agency gave the first approval to President Donald Trump’s design for an ambitious – and controversial – triumphal arch in the U.S. capital, the first step toward building the 250-foot-tall monument celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts – full of Trump allies – voted to advance the president’s…
ANKARA, April 15 (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Ankara was working to extend a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, ease tensions, and ensure the continuation of talks, and added Turkey was hopeful of negotiations despite stumbling blocks. Turkey, a neighbour of Iran, has been in close touch with the…
BEIRUT, April 9 (Reuters) – Lebanon has spent the last 24 hours advocating for a temporary ceasefire to allow for broader talks with Israel, a senior Lebanese official told Reuters, saying it would be a “separate track but the same model” as a fragile truce brokered by Pakistan between the U.S. and Iran. The official…