Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states woke up on Monday morning to what is the most severe crisis in the regional block’s 38 year history to date. In a closely coordinated series of statements, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, along with Egypt, announced the severing of ties with the peninsular state of Qatar.
Iranian Officials and Media Outlets React to Gulf Crisis by Blaming U.S. and Saudi Arabia
Iranian leaders and media outlets today reacted to a decision by Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations to sever diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar by blaming Washington and Riyadh for regional tension and discord. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the chairman of Iranian Parliament’s Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, said the rising tension is a direct result of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East.
What Does Trump’s Visit to Saudi Arabia Mean for Russia?
On May 20, President Donald Trump landed in Riyadh for the first stop of his nine-day Middle East and European tour. Many hoped that the president’s long-awaited trip would clarify his administration’s approach to the Middle East. As expected, the most important developments involved a $110 billion arms deal, anti-Iranian rhetoric and plans to establish an “Arab NATO.”
The India-U.A.E. Strategic Partnership in Regional Context: A Zero-Sum Game?
Since the government of Narendra Modi took office in 2014, India and the U.A.E. have moved relatively quickly to consolidate their existing ties and to explore new areas of cooperation. During this time, they have elevated the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with the expressed intention of extending their cooperation to the security and defense spheres. This essay discusses these recent developments, with particular attention to the role of Pakistan as a constraining factor in India-U.A.E. relations going forward.
This essay discusses India’s increasingly extensive relations with the Gulf Arab countries and its equally important interest in continuing to develop mutually beneficial ties with Iran. The author argues that as India’s regional profile rises and its economic prowess expands, New Delhi will come under pressure to take sides — pressure to which Indian leaders must try their utmost not to succumb.
If President Trump travels to Riyadh later this month, as reported, he will find that the six leaders of the Gulf Coordination Council (GCC) countries hold widely divergent views on Iran, the extent of the Iranian threat, and how to resolve the conflict in Yemen.
The Horn of Africa’s Growing Importance to the U.A.E.
The Horn of Africa is currently playing a pivotal role in the U.A.E.’s security interests at a time of international uncertainty, regional conflicts, and demanding domestic transformations. The U.A.E. is expanding its foothold in the region, with Eritrea to host its first military base abroad and another in Somaliland in the works. Abu Dhabi’s ‘pivot to the Horn’ strategy is designed to tackle three rising security concerns now: Yemen’s instability, freedom of navigation threats, and piracy.
Since its inception in 1993, the Sharjah Biennial has become the biggest art event in the Arab world. It is an enormous cultural podium whose breadth, scope, and ambition is unrivaled in the region. Encompassing new commissioned pieces, film screenings, video and audio installations, and copious talks throughout its lengthy duration, the Sharjah Biennial has transcended its fine arts origins to evolve into a global endeavor.
U.A.E’s Reformed Foreign Ministry a Pioneer in the Region
When Dubai Ports World made an offer in October 2005 to purchase ports manager P&O, it did not imagine the deal would unleash a firestorm of bipartisan wrangling in the United States. The P&O purchase would have resulted in a Middle Eastern firm managing six U.S. ports including those in New York, Newark, Baltimore, and Miami, which some senators found to be unacceptable. While D.P.
‘Linking West’ in ‘Unsettled Times’: India-G.C.C. Trade Relations
Economic and trade relations have been the most dynamic and significant component of the fundamental changes that have taken place in India’s relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (G.C.C.) countries since the early 1990s. As a consequence, the Gulf has become of vital strategic importance for India in terms of energy security, trade, investment, and remittances. This essay discusses the contours of India’s trade relations with the G.C.C. countries, including the contributions they have made to India’s economic ascent and the scope for their further development.
Russia and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) are developing a unique bilateral relationship. The latest manifestation of growing ties occurred at the biennial International Defense Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) in February when Russia and the U.A.E. announced a deal to co-produce a fifth-generation jet fighter in the Emirates. Although Moscow and Abu Dhabi have been cooperating on a range of economic and security issues for years, this was an unprecedented move.
Iran Rejects Arab Leaders’ Call for Dialogue on Disputed Islands
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected a request by Arab leaders to negotiate with the United Arab Emirates for a peaceful settlement to the three disputed islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
