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  • Perspective: Unfairly Maligned? The Cost of Mediation on Qatar-U.S. Relations

    Moreover, many of Qatar’s past actions toward Gaza that voices within the United States and Israel now denounce were implemented at the behest of officials in Washington and Tel Aviv. A look back at Qatari mediation in Gaza over the past decade could remind U.S. policymakers of Qatari maneuverability in the region when crises erupt.

  • F-15EX ‘Dogfights’ Eurofighter, Rafale Aircraft For Big, Fat Saudi Deal; Can Boeing Outdo Airbus & Dassault?

    With three options on the table, there is also conjecture that the kingdom might take the Qatar route and make its fleet more diverse by adding Rafales to the mix of its existing fleet comprising the F-15SA and the Eurofighter Typhoons. Although the officials in the kingdom have not officially acknowledged their interest in the French Rafale or the Airbus Eurofighter, a potential acquisition of either of these fighters may come as yet another setback to the US arms industry, which is believed to be steadily losing ground to European and even Chinese and Russian arms manufacturers in the Middle Eastern region.

  • Will Iran’s supreme leader revise his ‘nuclear fatwa’?

    Following Iran's Apr. 14 military action against Israel in response to the Apr. 1 bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) explicitly suggested the possibility of a revision to Tehran’s objection to atomic weapons. The suggestion may only be a part of the war of words between Iran and Israel. However, the fact that such discourse is rapidly becoming mainstream in Iran raises questions of what may lie ahead—including whether a shift may take place under Khamenei, who has long opposed atomic weapons on a religious basis.

  • Vision 2030: What are Saudi Arabia’s overarching goals?

    The first goal of Vision 2030 is to cultivate a content and fulfilled society, laying the foundation for the attainment of economic prosperity.

    According to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 official website, the goal focuses on creating strong roots that embrace modern Islam, national pride and Saudi heritage and culture, while also providing world-class entertainment options, sustainable living, and efficient health and social care systems.

  • Can Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 still succeed?

    “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who believed it would be built as conceived, Saudis included,” Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute, told The New Arab.

    “Erecting a 100-mile-long skyscraper in the middle of nowhere is not a great use of scarce resources.”

  • Geothermal – Saudi Arabia’s Next Energy Vector?

    For decades, Saudi Arabia’s power sector has heavily relied on hydrocarbons for electricity generation. Their abundant supply, affordability, and differential performance have made them a top choice. A significant portion of this electricity provides power for air conditioning systems and water desalination plants.

  • What are the Saudi Festival Seasons?

    The Saudi Seasons, a series of festivals held at different locations in the Kingdom throughout the year, attracts visitors from all over the world to explore this dynamic country and experience the best of both Saudi and international arts, culture, sports and entertainment.

  • Israel’s Next Front? Iran, Hezbollah, and the Coming War in Lebanon

    Over the past six months, tensions along Israel’s border with Lebanon have escalated dramatically. Israel has now deployed 100,000 troops to its north to confront the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, and the fighting there has steadily intensified. Nearly 400 Lebanese—including around 70 civilians and three journalists—have been killed, 90,000 Lebanese civilians have been displaced from around 100 towns and villages along the Israeli-Lebanese border, and Lebanese villages and olive groves have incurred widespread damage from phosphorus bombs.

  • Will Biden enable Pakistani energy imports from Iran?

    Ebrahim Raisi has traveled to Pakistan, marking the first trip by an Iranian president to the country’s eastern neighbor in over eight years. Iranian state media have focused on the potential economic benefits of the visit, which could involve a deal on the completion of a stalled gas pipeline opposed by the US. If Islamabad fails to complete its section of the pipeline, it could face Iranian legal action potentially resulting in 18B USD in fines.

  • What does EU visa relaxation for Saudi, Bahraini, Omani citizens mean?

    Under the new rules, Bahraini, Omani and Saudi Arabian nationals will be eligible for multiple-entry visas, allowing them to visit the Schengen area (the EU’s 27 member states as well as Bulgaria and Romania) and move freely between them.