Tuesday , June 23 2026

ARTICLES

ConocoPhillips and the Remaking of Syria’s Energy Industry

The company logo on the world headquarters of ConocoPhillips in Houston, Texas.Shutterstock

The Company Carries Influence Since It Would Bring a U.S. Major Into a Sector That Washington Has Viewed as Off-Limits ConocoPhillips’s reported plan to sign a contract with Syria’s transitional government would be a significant step in Syria’s return to international energy markets. If finalized, this deal would make ConocoPhillips the …

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Iran-Qatar Electricity Grid Interconnection Plan Shows Pragmatism in the Shadow of War

If Gulf-linked private capital participates in Iran’s reconstruction, it would show that regional actors are trying to shape Iran’s behavior and buy protection through economic incentivesTwo days after President Donald Trump announced agreement on a memorandum of understanding prolonging a ceasefire with Iran, Qatari Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said feasibility studies were …

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France’s Eastern Mediterranean energy strategy: Between commercial pragmatism and geopolitical ambition

The headquarters of French multinational integrated energy and petroleum company TotalEnergies is seen in La Defense, the business district, west of Paris, France on August 13, 2025. [Mustafa Yalçın – Anadolu Agency]

France has emerged as a significant actor in the Eastern Mediterranean energy landscape, combining commercial interests, geopolitical ambition, and European energy security priorities. Its approach rests on three pillars: support for French corporate activity, especially through TotalEnergies; strategic alignment with Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and Israel; and efforts to counterbalance Turkey’s growing assertiveness …

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From banks to blockchains: US opens new front in Iran sanctions

Representations of cryptocurrency Binance are seen in front of displayed Nobitex logo in this illustration taken November 3, 2022.

The Trump administration’s sanctions on Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange mark an escalation in Washington’s effort to disrupt the financial infrastructure Tehran uses to operate outside the formal banking system. The US Treasury designated Nobitex alongside Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex and sanctioned senior figures connected to Nobitex, including chairman, co-founder and …

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Kazakhstan and the Iran-Israel war: Navigating risks, opportunities, and strategic neutrality

A view of gigantic poster as daily life continues despite the ongoing conflict in Tehran, Iran on April 1, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Kazakhstan, a landlocked Central Asian state with a long-standing multi-vector foreign policy, has been indirectly affected by the 2025–2026 escalation between Israel, the United States, and Iran. The conflict has created both risks and opportunities for Astana. Kazakhstan has tried to preserve pragmatic neutrality while deepening ties with Israel, Gulf states, and …

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