China–GCC relations have historically been characterized by a deep economic interdependence, primarily dominated by the Gulf’s energy supplies to China.
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On 17 June 2026, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran digitally signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which consists of a 14-point framework aimed at ending the war that erupted on 28 February 2026. This framework outlines a comprehensive peace agreement to be negotiated within 60 days of the MoU, with the possibility of extending this period by mutual consent of the parties involved.
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Jordan is in the throes of a highly sensitive phase that is reshaping both its relationship with its surroundings and its domestic makeup. In the context of an ongoing regional escalation, including the fallout from conflicts in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Iran, along with the transformation of Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 and the subsequent reconfiguration of its neighborhood, the Kingdom is facing a persistent test of its ability to maintain its domestic balance and political stability.
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Despite a resumption in hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, and the resulting re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran and its major Gulf oil-producing rivals are in a race to boost their respective oil exports and restore or carve out their share of critical markets. This can be seen in Iran’s bid to export… Continue reading Why the Gulf’s Oil Export Future Lies in Southeast Asia
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In the early hours of July 7, an anti-ship missile struck Al Rekayyat, a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanker, as it left the Strait of Hormuz. A fire spread through the engine room, and for a few hours, the region waited to find out whether the vessel would be the latest casualty of the U.S.-Iranian war’s worst maritime incident yet. Al Rekayyat belongs to transportation firm Nakilat, majority-owned by Qatar, which has facilitated extensive negotiations between Washington and… Continue reading The Iranian Duality the Region Must Stop Indulging
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The U.S.-Iran war has so far failed to produce any decisive strategic outcome or end the threat hanging over the Gulf. Instead, it has ushered the region into a new phase of managed instability, characterized by cycles of escalation and de-escalation, with no clear political or military resolution in sight. The war has placed the Strait… Continue reading Rethinking Gulf Security on the Threshold of a New World Order
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