By Humeyra Pamuk and Tala Ramadan WASHINGTON/DUBAI/ISLAMABAD, April 29 (Reuters) – Iran said on Thursday that if Washington renewed attacks it would respond with “long and painful strikes” on U.S. positions, complicating U.S. plans for an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz. Two months into the war that started with U.S.-Israeli strikes on…
DUBAI/WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged Iran to ‘get smart soon’ and sign a deal, following days of deadlock in efforts to end the conflict and a media report that the U.S. would extend its blockade of Iran’s ports. In a post on Truth Social, Trump, who has said…
April 28 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will host an exceptional meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Jeddah on Tuesday, the first in-person meeting of Gulf leaders since their states became a front in the Iran war two months ago. A Gulf official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the meeting aimed to craft a…
MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in St. Petersburg on Monday and told him he hoped the Iranian people would weather what he described as a “difficult period” and that peace would soon prevail. Russia has offered to mediate to try to help restore…
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reported to have moved closer to Israel, with Tel Aviv deploying its powerful Iron Dome interceptor system to the Gulf nation fighting Iran missile threat. TOPSHOT – Explosions from projectile interceptions by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system are pictured over Tel Aviv on February 28, 2026. (AFP) A…
Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po recently said the city could rise to become the world’s No 2 financial centre in 10-15 years. That is the right kind of ambition. In a world being reshaped by geopolitical fragmentation, China’s growing global weight and rapid technological change, Hong Kong must think beyond remaining internationally competitive…
Pakistan has returned the total USD 3.45 billion it owed in debt to the United Arab Emirates, the country’s central bank said Friday. Pakistan clears debt to UAE. (Representative) The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in a social media post confirmed the repayment and said that the transaction was completed on Thursday. “State Bank of…
The US-Israeli war on Iran has unleashed sharp swings across global energy and financial markets, fuelling demand for safe-haven assets, with Hong Kong emerging as a potential beneficiary across gold, property and capital markets. In the third of a three-part series, we look at Hong Kong’s position as a stable base where demand for property…
The United Arab Emirates has opened talks with the United States about obtaining a financial backstop in case the Iran war plunges the oil-rich Persian Gulf state into a deeper crisis, US officials told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. UAE Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama raised the idea of a currency-swap line with…
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…