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Politics

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was discussing security cooperation with Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, Reuters reported on April 10.

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv in Talks for More Security Cooperation With Gulf Countries

United States

Israel

U.S.-Iran Relations

Iran struck targets in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced on April 7, Reuters reported on April 8.

MENA: Iran Strikes GCC Targets, Despite Ceasefire Announcement 

Egypt

Turkey

Pakistan

Pakistan hosted talks with various regional actors, including Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as part of its efforts to broker a diplomatic settlement that ends the U.S. and Israel-Iran war, Reuters reported on March 29.

Middle East: Tit for Tat Attacks Escalate to Industrial Zones, Despite Regional Efforts To De-escalate

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a military cooperation agreement to develop defense ties and potential contracts, Bloomberg reported on March 27.

Ukraine, Saudi Arabia: Kyiv Expands Defense Ties in the Gulf

Central African Republic

Chad

Ethiopia

Sudan

The United Arab Emirates is growing its smuggling network to Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, through Ethiopia and the Central African Republic, Le Monde reported on March 22.

Sudan: UAE Developing New Weapons Smuggling Routes to RSF Despite Iran War

Jordan

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine deployed military specialists and interception units to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan to help protect critical and civilian infrastructure from Iranian drone attacks, Reuters reported on March 20.

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv Deploys Counter-Drone Units to the Middle East

Oil-loading operations in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, resumed after being temporarily halted following staff evacuations due to Iranian attacks targeting the Saudi-ExxonMobil Samref refinery on the Red Sea, Reuters reported on March 19.

Saudi Arabia, Iran: Yanbu Port Operations Resume After Iran-Linked Disruption

In a March 18 statement, QatarEnergy said the Ras Laffan Industrial City, which is the primary hub for Qatar's liquefied natural gas exports and liquefaction trains, suffered "extensive damage" in Iranian missile strikes that evening.

Qatar: Ras Laffan LNG Hub Suffers 'Extensive Damage' in Iranian Missile Strikes

Media

Cuba

Mexico

Venezuela

China

Taiwan

Forecast Webcast

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2026 Second-Quarter Geopolitical Forecast.

2026 Second-Quarter Forecast Webcast

Assessments

The Burj Khalifa skyscraper (L) and the Burj al-Arab hotel (R) on March 11 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With further Iranian provocation, several Gulf Cooperation Council states would be willing to join the war against Iran, but doing so would likely deepen Iran's targeting of their critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and potentially pull the GCC into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Joining in could deepen Iran's targeting of GCC critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and pull the bloc into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Will the Gulf States Join the Iran War, and What Would Happen if They Did?

Yemen

Europe

India

A medicine distributor stores Mounjaro (tirzepatide) self-injecting GLP-1 prefilled pens and vials in a fridge at his office in Thane, India, on March 20, 2026. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

India's pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors are set to grow significantly over the next several years amid manufacturing incentives, regulatory reforms and trade deals.

The Growth Outlook for India's Pharmaceutical Sector Remains Strong, Despite Global Uncertainties

People walk along the corniche area on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026.

Global Trade

Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will compel Gulf Cooperation Council states to invest in alternative trade routes and more resilient physical infrastructure.

Gulf Arab States, Shaken by Iran War, Plan Economic Pivot

A digital illustration of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s national flags.

Despite having a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan will likely only provide the kingdom with low-level defensive and technical support, rather than direct military intervention against Iran, due to various constraints.

In a War With Iran, the Pakistani-Saudi Defense Pact Has Limits 

Cargo ships and tankers are seen in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 25, 2026. 

Although most of the Middle East's crucial oil and gas assets have so far been spared, a prolonged conflict would raise the risk of material supply disruptions and price shocks, particularly for LNG markets.

How Will the Iran War Impact the World's Oil and Gas Supplies?

The Crown Plaza on March 1 showing damage from an Iranian military strike in Manama, Bahrain. Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

The Implications of Iran's Attacks on the Gulf

Columns

On Geopolitics

Somalia

Iraq

Lebanon

Libya

Syria

A dark earth map of the Middle East with glowing details of cities and human population density areas.

Two blocs are emerging in the Middle East: one focused on preserving existing states and institutions, and the other on creating new ones.

Preservation vs. Fragmentation: Two Paths Toward a New Order in the Middle East

Palestinian Territories

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022.

After years of discord, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are finding common ground as they increasingly position themselves against Emirati- and Israeli-backed regional initiatives. 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey's New Regional Alignment

Algeria

The national flag of Algeria flies near the Bay of Algiers against the backdrop of the old town known as the Casbah and cargo containers in Algiers, Algeria, on Aug. 25, 2022.

Divergences between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates are poised to grow and may lead to a diplomatic break.

Algeria's Grievances With the UAE Deepen Amid Strategic Divergences

Eritrea

Residents wave Somali flags as they attend a rally denouncing Israel's recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland at Mogadishu Stadium in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Dec. 30, 2025. 

Two regional alignments are coalescing along the Red Sea and in the Horn of Africa, risking the escalation of proxy conflicts and longstanding rivalries.

The Unfolding Regional Realignments Along the Red Sea and Their Implications

Saudi-backed forces are seen on the outskirts of Yemen's Hadramawt province, where the UAE-backed secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) recently launched an offensive, on Jan. 3, 2026. 

Social Issues

The Gulf nations' growing battle for influence is straining bilateral ties and fueling proxy conflicts in places like Yemen and Sudan, though both sides will likely avoid any escalation that could harm their economies.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE Pursue Divergent Paths in a Multipolar World

Comprising a majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is surrounded by Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen.  The kingdom's main geographic challenges are controlling its sparsely populated territory and maintaining shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.    Surrounded by vast deserts, the central Najd plateau is the core of Saudi Arabia and is home to the country's capital, Riyadh. Mecca and Medina, Islam's two holiest cities, are protected by mountains in the west and flanked by the Red Sea. The security of these cities is a key to the monarchy's legitimacy.    The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I set the stage for the House of Saud to unify the territory that became Saudi Arabia in 1932. Oil and natural gas have been the country's main exports and source of wealth since their discovery in 1938.     A restive Eastern Province holds a majority of the kingdom's reserves and makes the country vulnerable to invasion from the north or the Persian Gulf. Cross border tribal ties also expose the kingdom to unrest in the south on the border with Yemen.    A scarcity of fresh water and a small population density limit Saudi Arabia's defensive capabilities. Since the vast majority of Saudi oil exports pass via the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, the kingdom has historically relied on a foreign power to balance regional rival, Iran and keep the Strait open.    As global oil consumption continues to rise, Saudi Arabia will continue to play a dominant role in the Middle East despite its geographic challenges.

The Syrian Civil War

The Saudi Survival Strategy

A Crude Recovery

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv in Talks for More Security Cooperation With Gulf Countries

MENA: Iran Strikes GCC Targets, Despite Ceasefire Announcement

Middle East: Tit for Tat Attacks Escalate to Industrial Zones, Despite Regional Efforts To De-escalate

Ukraine, Saudi Arabia: Kyiv Expands Defense Ties in the Gulf

Sudan: UAE Developing New Weapons Smuggling Routes to RSF Despite Iran War

Ukraine, MENA: Kyiv Deploys Counter-Drone Units to the Middle East

Saudi Arabia, Iran: Yanbu Port Operations Resume After Iran-Linked Disruption

Qatar: Ras Laffan LNG Hub Suffers 'Extensive Damage' in Iranian Missile Strikes

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