Ici Beyrouth

'America First': What Economic Strategies Under Trump?

Christiane Tager, 13/11 17:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump European Union Gulf Middle East Trade

Donald Trump’s return to the White House would likely reinforce a protectionist and economically isolationist approach under the "America First" slogan, heightening challenges across international trade relations and geopolitical balances. If Trump pursues a protectionist economic policy (America First) and adopts a more radical vision of ...

French-Iranian Relations: Between Rifts and Distrust 1/2

Marie de La Roche Saint-André, 12/11 12:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Europe Gulf Middle East Tehran United States US Congress

Though geographically distant, France and Iran have shared ties since the Middle Ages. Yet, their relationship has been marked by repeated ruptures, driven by a complex interplay of influence and rivalry in the Middle East and on the international stage. This first section delves into the historical ties between France and Iran, highlighting the ...

Iraq Inaugurates Docks for Major New Gulf Port

This is Beirut, 07/11 18:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani inaugurated five docks on Thursday at a major new port the country is building on its narrow Gulf coast. Grand Faw Port on Al-Faw Peninsula is intended to provide a new freight link between Asia and Europe via upgraded rail and road infrastructure through Iraq and Turkey. Dubbed the Iraq ...

Qataris Vote in Referendum on Scrapping Legislative Elections

This is Beirut, 05/11 12:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Gulf USA Qatar Referendum

Qataris went to the polls on Tuesday in a referendum on ending a brief and limited experiment with legislative elections in the wealthy emirate. Voters among the gas-rich peninsula's roughly 380,000 Qatari nationals cast their ballots on constitutional changes that would scrap the legislative council polls. In 2021, a year before Qatar held the ...

Saudi Aramco's Profits Drop Over Low Oil Prices

This is Beirut, 05/11 10:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a 15 percent year-on-year drop in third quarter profit on Tuesday, citing low oil prices. The fall in net income to $27.56 billion this year from $32.58 billion in 2023 "was mainly due to the impact of lower crude oil prices and weakening refining margins", the firm said in a statement posted to the Saudi stock ...

Qatar’s Diplomacy: Strengths and Limitations

Sana Richa Choucair, 01/11 14:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Gulf Middle East Saudi Arabia United States Qatar Diplomacy

For over a year now, Qatar has been acting as the principal mediator, alongside the United States and Egypt, in negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023. However, this is not the first time this oil-rich Gulf emirate has emerged on the international stage. Qatar has established itself ...

Saudi ‘Davos in the Desert’ Opens With Region on War Footing

This is Beirut, 29/10 12:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Global business leaders gathered in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a glitzy investor forum as conflict shakes the region and scepticism mounts over the Gulf kingdom's most ambitious development projects. The Future Investment Initiative (FII) debuted in 2017 as a showcase for de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's dream of diversifying ...

What if Hezbollah Were to Return the Deposits?

Johnny Kortbawi, 25/10 10:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Hezbollah's financial capacity is estimated to be around one and a half billion dollars, based on general assessments, as the true extent of its funds remains unknown. What is certain is that this money exists outside the banking system and is not part of any financial or economic framework affiliated with the Lebanese state. From these funds ...

1.5 Million Displaced... A Ticking Time Bomb

Marc Saikali, 24/10 08:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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National solidarity has played a commendable role. NGOs, privates, friendly nations, and even the state have immediately rushed to assist the unexpected refugees — victims of the "divine victory" sold to them — sacrificed for the interests of the Iranian mullahs, who are doing absolutely nothing to support them. However, isolated incidents ...

Iran Protests EU Support for UAE Over Disputed Islands

This is Beirut, 20/10 19:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iran summoned the ambassador of Hungary, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency, to protest a joint EU-Gulf Cooperation Council statement on islands controlled by Iran but claimed by the UAE, state media reported on Sunday. The statement, published after the first summit between the two regional blocs on Wednesday, said, "We ...

Threats and Diplomacy: Iran’s Dual Strategy on Israel

This is Beirut, 19/10 17:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Awaiting Israel's promised retaliation for a missile attack earlier this month, Iran has balanced threats of a fierce response to any Israeli attack with diplomatic efforts to prevent escalation into all-out regional war. Iran launched 200 missiles at its arch-foe on October 1 in response to an Israeli strike that killed Iranian general Abbas ...

Israeli-Iranian Conflict: The Strait of Hormuz as a Pressure Tactic

Liliane Mokbel, 17/10 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Europe Gulf Kuwait Middle East Saudi Arabia Tehran Ukraine United States

Iran may have to resort to a strategic tool: control of the Strait of Hormuz. According to several analyses, this tactic could be as devastating as a nuclear weapon. However, unlike a nuclear weapon, whose use would bring catastrophic consequences for Iran itself, the threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz serves as a form of "asymmetric ...

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