About: Saudi Arabia
US kills top Iranian commander Soleimani in air strike
The United States killed Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force and architect of Iran’s spreading military influence in the Middle East, in an air strike on Friday (3 December) at Baghdad airport, the Pentagon and Iran...
COP25: Major developing countries still reluctant to amend Paris Agreement to ‘foot climate bill’
Countries such as Brazil, China and Saudi Arabia, are criticising Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement and its carbon offsetting mechanism even though they are currently not footing the "climate bill". A stance which climate advocates fear will weaken the entire treaty. EURACTIV France reports.
China’s growing interest in Saudi Aramco is part of a long game
The Aramco public offering gives China an opportunity to gain a foothold at the center of the global oil industry. According to Joseph Dana, the move is part of a longer-term attempt by Beijing to challenge the dollar’s dominance as the world’s universal currency.
After Saudi attacks, Russia makes its regional presence felt
In the two weeks since attacks blamed on missiles or drones shut down half of Saudi Arabia’s oil output, the country that has arguably moved most deftly to position itself for any upside is Russia.
Iran’s Rouhani says wider talks with US possible if 2015 deal implemented
Iran can discuss other issues with the United States providing its 2015 nuclear deal with six powers is fully implemented, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday (26 September), adding that Tehran's missile capabilities were not negotiable.
Pentagon to send radar, Patriot missiles to bolster Saudi defences
The Pentagon said on Thursday (26 September) it plans to send four radar systems, a battery of Patriot missiles and about 200 support personnel to bolster Saudi Arabia's defenses after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom's oil facilities this month.
Washington sees ‘many options short of war’ with Iran after attacks on Saudis
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (18 September) there were many options short of war with Iran after US ally Saudi Arabia displayed remnants of drones and missiles it said were used in a crippling attack on its oil sites that was "unquestionably sponsored" by Tehran.
Saudi attack will jolt oil markets out of ‘complacency’ over Gulf tensions – analysts
The price of oil has seemed relatively immune to heightened tensions in the Gulf, but this weekend’s attack on Saudi oil facilities means markets will now be more skittish.
The attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq refinery and the realpolitik of oil
After a Saudi oil processing facility came under attack, attention turned on the immediate effect this could have on oil prices. But the worry should be more over the medium term than the short term, writes Robin Mills.
Trump says US ‘locked and loaded’ for potential response to Saudi oil attack
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday (15 September) that the United States was "locked and loaded" for a potential response to the attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities, after a senior official in his administration said Iran was to blame.
US, France, Britain may be complicit in Yemen war crimes, UN report says
The United States, Britain and France may be complicit in war crimes in Yemen by arming and providing intelligence and logistics support to a Saudi-led coalition that starves civilians as a war tactic, the United Nations said on Tuesday (3 September).
As the sun sets on oil, the sun will rise on solar power
When shares in Saudi Aramco eventually go public, there will doubtless be a feeding frenzy on what promises to be the largest initial public offering ever seen. More significantly, the move would also signal Saudi Arabia’s recognition that sunset for fossil fuel is just over the horizon, writes Jonathan Gornall.
Mogherini cautions against ‘dangerous adventures’ in the Middle East
The European Union fully backs Iraq's efforts to de-escalate growing tensions between the United States and Iran because conflict will have dire consequences for all sides, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Saturday (13 July).
UN climate talks end amid major questioning of landmark 1.5C IPCC report
Climate negotiations ended in Bonn, Germany on Thursday (27 June), with oil-dependent Saudi-Arabia insisting on questioning the scientific value of the UN's 1.5 °C IPCC global warming report. No agreement has been reached on the carbon mechanisms enshrined in article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Trump warns he could order the ‘official end of Iran’
US President Donald Trump issued a new threat to Tehran on Sunday (19 May), tweeting that a conflict would be the “official end” of Iran, as Saudi Arabia warned it stood ready to respond with “all strength” and said it was up to Iran to avoid war.
Iran seeks to prove it can disrupt oil and gas exports from Arab Gulf States
A recent attack on Saudi oil facilities west of Riyadh were designed to demonstrate Tehran’s ability to target all of the region’s oil and gas exports and raise exponentially the cost of military conflict for the US and its allies in the Gulf region, writes Hasan Alhasan.
EXCLUSIVE: Germany blocking EU plans to stop spyware trade with dictators
EU proposals to establish export restrictions on spyware are being held back by Germany, which has adopted an ambiguous stance on the plans, EURACTIV has learnt.
Member states reject Commission’s blacklist of money launderers
EU member states rejected on Thursday (7 March) the European Commission’s blacklist of countries unwilling to cooperate in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing, as they blamed the EU executive of not being transparent during the drafting process.
After Saudi king’s letter, EU states move to block Commission’s dirty-money list
The adoption of a European Union money-laundering blacklist, which includes Saudi Arabia as well as Puerto Rico and three other US territories, is likely to be blocked by EU states under a procedure launched on Thursday (28 February), two EU sources said.
Arab League, EU seek synchrony on regional crises in first summit
Arab and European states sought common ground on security threats and regional crises including Yemen, Syria and Libya on Sunday at their first joint summit held in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Allies fume at German ban of arms exports to Saudi Arabia
Germany said Wednesday (20 February) it would hold firm on its decision to halt weapons exports to Saudi Arabia, shrugging off British warnings that the embargo could hurt European credibility and efforts to bring peace in Yemen.
Commission adopts stricter blacklist of money launderers
The European Commission has included Saudi Arabia and Panama in an extended ‘blacklist’ of uncooperative jurisdictions in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, in an effort to regain citizens’ trust in the fight against financial crimes.
As EU-Arab summit approaches, more headaches than planned
When plans for a summit between the European Union and the Arab League were first hatched last year, it was envisioned as the start of a new friendship across the Mediterranean. What a difference a few months makes.