In recent years, Iraq has become one of the leading destinations for Chinese investments in the Middle East and a crucial link in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). To capitalize on its geostrategic location and central position within the Chinese BRI, Iraq is seeking to develop a sprawling new 54-square-kilometer port …
Read More »Saudi Arabia-Iran normalization and possible bilateral energy relations
Introduction In a breakthrough deal, brokered by China, Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed on the resumption of diplomatic relations and the mutual opening of embassies, a move that could change the balance of power in the Middle East and restore stability in the region. Under the agreement reached, the …
Read More »Iran-Saudi Agreement: In Search of Stable Oil Exports and New Relations
As a “neutral” power seeking to distance itself from the Middle East’s various geopolitical rivalries, China has supported reconciliation and peace to stabilize its access to the region’s resources. The relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been fraught with tension for decades, with each side accusing the other of interference in …
Read More »Iran and China Loom Large in Saudi Arabia’s “Game of Drones”
Driven by its desire for economic gain and the threat posed by Iran, Saudi Arabia has relied heavily on China to develop its domestic drone program—much to Washington’s chagrin. In recent years, many Middle Eastern states have devoted growing sums to research in cutting-edge defense technology—particularly drone warfare, a crucial …
Read More »Iran and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
While representing a major symbolic step, finalizing Iranian membership in the Shanghai Pact is not a panacea for the country’s current political, economic, and security challenges. Before the outbreak of recent mass protests, Iranian leaders were working to ameliorate their country’s international isolation through official membership in the Shanghai Cooperation …
Read More »China, India and Turkey to siphon more Russian oil ahead of EU ban
NESREEN BAKHEIT and RURIKA IMAHASHI, Nikkei staff writers June 9, 2022 15:05 JST DUBAI/TOKYO — China and India are continuing to increase imports of Russian oil in a dramatic reshaping of global trade in energy, according to the latest industry data. But the ability of Asia to absorb more production …
Read More »Iran Cannot Develop its Oil Sector Without Sanctions Relief
Iran can neither increase its oil and natural gas production capacity, nor attract the necessary foreign capital and technology for their expansion, without the lifting of sanctions. Thanks to a combination of Western animosity and Iran’s regional foreign policy, the country’s energy industry has faced ever more onerous sanctions in …
Read More »There are challenges and opportunities in relations between Iran and Venezuela
Political and economic relations between Iran and Venezuela have grown over the past two decades. The South American country has the largest known oil reserves in the world but, despite being recognised as a leading economy on the continent for many years, Venezuela is a prime example of the “economic …
Read More »Cheaper Russian oil is the scourge of cheap Iranian oil
Iran’s oil sales have risen under the Biden administration, but if the Ukraine crisis and Iran’s current policy in the nuclear talks continue, the US could tighten conditions for selling Iranian oil. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global oil trade and has given Iran the opportunity to increase exports to China, …
Read More »Iran’s Combative Diplomacy Continues in Vienna
After the withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” or JCPOA, nuclear deal with Iran, Tehran initially indicated that it would continue to follow its obligations in cooperation with the remaining members of the “P5+1” group that had negotiated the deal. Despite this early indication, Iran …
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