News

Dubai, seen for decades as a safe and serene haven, now finds itself on the Foreign Office no-go – along with Abu Dhabi, just down the road in the UAE, and Doha in Qatar. So what does this mean for the future of tourism in the Gulf? Simon Calder finds out.

submitted by /u/1-randomonium to r/geopolitics [link] [comments]

Iran has allowed some Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said countries that rely on oil carried through the Hormuz strait should take responsibility for keeping the passage open, with American help. Global oil prices have surged by 40 percent as Iran has choked off the vital sea passage and attacked Gulf energy facilities since US-Israeli strikes launched the war on Iran.

Iran Warns U.S. and Regional States of Retaliation, Confirms Strait of Hormuz Strategic Closure  Kurdistan24

How can the U.S. get oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz again? A former NATO admiral breaks down the options  CNN

India’s Tanker Escape: Rare Hormuz Passage Signals New Political Reality for Global Shipping  gCaptain

By Nidhi Verma and Saurabh Sharma NEW DELHI, March 14 (Reuters) - India has sought safe passage for 22 of its vessels stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, a foreign affairs ministry spokesperson said on Saturday, after Iran allowed a few Indian ships to sail through, in a rare exception to the blockade. Randhir Jaiswal told a press conference that India has stayed in touch with all major parties in the Middle East - including Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran, the U.S. and Israel - to convey its priorities, particularly on energy security.

US lifts sanctions on some Russian oil, about 5-6 days' worth of shipments from Strait of Hormuz  Fortune

Iran’s new supreme leader says Strait of Hormuz should be used as leverage  KXAN Austin

Smoke seen rising from direction of UAE energy facility: AFP Smoke was rising from the direction of a major UAE energy installation on Saturday, in what appeared to be the latest strike targeting the Gulf's petroleum facilities - hours after the US struck Iran's Kharg Island oil hub.  Clouds of dark black smoke were seen coming from Fujairah, which is home to a major port where Iranian attacks have already targeted an oil storage and trading hub. The port is also home to a key oil export terminal.  Local authorities, in an online statement, said debris falling after a successful drone interception had caused a fire, without specifying the location.

Why Kharg Island is central to Iran’s oil exports. Kharg Island sits at the heart of Iran’s oil export infrastructure in the northern Gulf, handling 90 percent of Iran's crude exports, making it one of the most strategically important energy hubs in the region. Located about 30km off Iran’s mainland, the island hosts the country’s main oil export terminal, where crude from oil  fields across Iran is stored and loaded onto tankers for shipment to international markets. The island has a vast network of pipelines linking major oilfields to its storage facilities and loading jetties. Because of this concentration of infrastructure, Kharg Island has long been considered a critical choke-point for Iran’s energy sector: any disruption there can have immediate implications for the country’s oil revenues and global supply flows. Its strategic importance has also made Kharg Island a target during periods of conflict. During the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s, the island was repeatedly attacked in what became known as the “Tanker War”, as both sides sought to cripple each other’s oil exports in the Gulf. Decades later, the site remains a focal point in regional tensions, given its central role in Iran’s ability to export crude to global markets.

Smoke rises from Fujairah oil facility in UAE

HORMUZ TRACKER: Saudi Suezmax Reappears Off Mumbai; LPG to India  Bloomberg.com

Will China’s yuan lift Strait of Hormuz blockade? Analysts urge caution  South China Morning Post

Iran's envoy to New Delhi says Tehran allowed some Indian vessels to pass the Strait in rare exception to the blockade.

Two Indian tankers safely cross Strait of Hormuz Two Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas bound for ports on India’s western coast have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said. Rajesh Kumar Sinha, the ministry’s special secretary, told a news conference in New Delhi that the vessels passed through the strategic waterway early on Saturday and are now continuing towards India. “They crossed the Strait of Hormuz early this morning safely and are en route to India,” Sinha said.

Two Indian tankers safely cross Strait of Hormuz  Middle East Eye

By Sarah El Safty and Nidhi Verma DUBAI, March 14 (Reuters) - Some oil-loading operations have been suspended in the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub and crude export terminal, after a drone attack and fire on Saturday, industry and trade sources said. The suspension comes hours after the U.S. attacked military targets on Iran's Kharg Island oil export terminal and Iran's Revolutionary Guards responded by saying that U.S. interests in the UAE - including ports, docks and military locations - were legitimate targets.

submitted by /u/Dr_Neurol to r/worldnews [link] [comments]