The logo of the FATF (the Financial Action Task Force) is seen during a news conference after a plenary session at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Headquarters in Paris, France, October 18, 2019.
Read More »Turkmenistan Stops Gas Exports To Iran Amid Winter Cold
Iran’s already significant winter gas shortage has been exacerbated by Turkmenistan’s decision to halt gas deliveries to Iran, including gas swaps with Azerbaijan this year. This has created a challenging situation for Iran, which is struggling with a severe gas shortage during the winter months. The breakdown of these gas-related …
Read More »Navigating New Horizons: The Gulf’s Dynamic Energy Landscape in 2024
In 2024, the Gulf’s energy sector is poised at a critical juncture, balancing the traditional reliance on hydrocarbons with ambitious strides toward renewable energy and economic diversification amidst global economic fluctuations and regional geopolitical tensions. The Middle East played a significant role in the global energy market in 2023, navigating the delicate …
Read More »Iran Claims Lower Unemployment But Numbers Say Otherwise
Iran’s Statistical Center recently announced a decline in the country’s unemployment rate to 7.6 percent this fall from 10.6 in the same period in 2019. The report didn’t explain the reason for the decline, but, a comparison of the new numbers for the labor force (employed or seeking jobs) with …
Read More »Iran Becomes A Member Of BRICS, With Hopes And Challenges
Iran officially became a member of the China-led BRICS economic organization on Monday, as it seeks to overcome the impact of US sanctions and overcome it isolation. In its policy of finding shelter under Chinese and Russian-dominated international organizations, Iran achieved full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in July 2022 and …
Read More »Iran Announces Questionable Oil Export Revenues
Iran announced this week that it exported $26.5 billion of oil during the past 9 months, a figure that contradicts both previous Iranian and international estimates. For years, Iranian administrations have not transparently disclosed their oil revenues, citing the illicit nature of shipments under the US sanctions regime. However, in …
Read More »GCC, Iran’s Northern Neighbors Expanding Financial Ties
As Iran grapples with a severe lack of foreign investment, its Arab neighbors are increasingly channeling funds into Iran’s northern regions, boosting trade turnover. On December 17, the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Azerbaijan jointly launched a substantial investment fund worth one billion dollars. This collaborative venture sees …
Read More »The Car Mafia’s Shadow In Iran-China Electric Vehicle Ventures
As Iran’s domestic carmakers lose money due to sanctions, a technological gap and mismanagement, officials are promising to boost the electrical vehicle production. The only avenue open to Iran is to make deals with Chinese companies and start EV assembly, like fossil-fuel vehicles it produces. China, dominating the global electric vehicle (EV) …
Read More »Iran Faces Serious Challenges To Become An LNG Exporter
Iran, despite having the world’s second-largest natural gas reserves, has not yet become an LNG producer, and faces a critical shortage for essential domestic needs. Natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid form for convenient and secure non-pressurized storage or transportation is known as liquefied natural gas, or LNG. …
Read More »Taliban Turn Back Tankers Carrying Iranian ‘Low-Quality Gasoline’
In a bizarre turn of events, the Taliban government’s standards office has returned fuel tankers carrying Iranian gasoline, deeming the product below standard. In a message on Thursday, November 29, posted on X, the Taliban stated that 24 tankers carrying low-quality Iranian gasoline were returned to Iran through the Farah’ …
Read More »