Author: Steven Sahiounie

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s oil minister and his Turkish counterpart did not reach an agreement to immediately resume Iraq’s northern oil exports but agreed to hold more talks in the future, said two energy sources with knowledge of the ministers’ meeting in Ankara on Tuesday. Turkiye halted flows on March 25 after an arbitration ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce ordered Ankara to pay Baghdad damages of $1.5 billion for unauthorized exports by the Kurdistan Regional Government between 2014 and 2018. The block consists mainly of oil originating from Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The results of the meeting were to allow Turkiye…

The Supreme Islamic Fatwa Council today warned that the Israeli occupation authorities control over Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem through the regular storming of its premises by Jewish fanatics has reached an advanced and alarming stage. “The blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is currently going through a painful and dangerous state, not because the occupation was able to reach an advanced stage in its control over it, but rather because the occupation authorities are taking consecutive steps to start the implementation of the construction of their alleged temple” on its site, said the Council in a statement. It stressed that despite all that…

The Iranian and Chinese presidents stressed the need to bolster bilateral cooperation and the trend of multilateralism especially within the framework of BRICS. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS+ Summit on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties and international developments. Iran’s membership in the BRICS group of emerging economics will strengthen the principled approaches of the group, including opposition to US unilateralism in the international arena, Raisi said at the meeting. Turning to the existing agreements inked between Iran and China, Raisi emphasized the implementation of agreements within the framework…

RIYADH: Off-plan property sales in Saudi Arabia have been gaining popularity in recent years, with the category growing 52 percent in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period last year.Off-plan sales refer to purchasing a property before it is built or completed. Buyers typically invest in the property based on architectural plans and specifications provided by the developer. According to Wafi, the country’s off-plan sales and leasing committee in the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing, 47 off-plan sales projects were licensed in the first six months of 2023. This increase comes as part of Wafi’s efforts…

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of BRICS+ Summit, which is being held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Invited by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to participate in the 15th meeting of BRICS leaders, Raisi arrived in Pretoria on Thursday morning. In addition to participating and delivering a lecture in the BRICS+ Summit, Raisi will hold talks with a number of leaders of the participating countries. BRICS member states on Thursday agreed on the full membership of Iran and a number of other countries in the group. The membership of Iran, Saudi Arabia,…

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid met with the Syrian ambassador in Baghdad, Sattam Jadaan al-Dandah, who conveyed to him the greetings of President Bashar al-Assad. President Rashid stressed the importance of coordination and cooperation with Syria in the field of combating terrorism and issues of common interest, in a way that serves the interests of the two countries and peoples, and enhances security and stability in the region, SANA reporter quoted the Iraqi presidency as saying in a statement. President Rashid sent his greetings to President al-Assad and his wishes to the brotherly Syrian people for stability, security and…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s online platform, Absher, facilitated 2.6 million electronic transactions in July, aligning closely with the Kingdom’s digital transformation agenda. Provided by the Saudi Interior Ministry, the interactive online platform experienced a surge in transactions during July, surpassing May’s record of 2.2 million. The trend underscores the platform’s role in providing citizens, residents, and visitors easy access to essential e-services across multiple ministry departments. Launched in 2010, Absher’s online service was introduced to enhance productivity and streamline operations within government bodies while elevating customer satisfaction levels. In its latest report, Absher revealed that the Interior Ministry’s Agency for Civil…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia emerged as the top global export destination for Dubai Chamber of Commerce members during the first half of 2023, as revealed by official data from the UAE. The value of exports surged over 15 percent year over year to 35 billion dirhams ($9.53 billion), according to a press release by the DCC issued on Wednesday. The release further highlighted that Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Egypt and Iraq secured their spots among the top 10 export destinations and re-exports by members. Notably, Qatar marked year-over-year growth of 39.3 percent within the same period. Conversely, the report underscored southern Africa…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Debt Management Center has concluded its riyal-denominated sukuk program issuance for August, with a bid amount totaling SR3.50 billion ($930 million), marking a 33.07 percent increase compared to July 2023. The issuance was executed in two tranches, with the first tranche valued at SR2.40 billion set to mature in 2031 and the second worth SR1.10 billion in 2033, according to NDMC. This issuance follows SR2.63 billion raised in July, SR2.25 billion in June and SR4.33 billion in May, showcasing a consistent engagement in the financial market. “NDMC will continue, in accordance with the approved annual borrowing…

The Russian leader said the adversaries “are trying to hold back the emergence of new independent centers of development and influence in the world” BRICS is not competing with anyone and does not oppose anyone, but the establishment of a multipolar world order has irreconcilable adversaries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said by video link at the BRICS Plus/Outreach meeting. “I would like to note that BRICS is not competing with anyone, does not oppose anyone. But it is also obvious that this objective process of establishing a new world order still has irreconcilable adversaries seeking to slow down this process,”…