China is self-sufficient in many respects in the old oil industry, but it still needs foreign equipment and imported advanced technologies to extract and explore oil resources. These are China’s weaknesses that need to be addressed. China’s oil industry will not be immune to US-China trade clashes and production and services may come to a standstill at any moment. Trade ...
A BRIEF INTRODUCTORY HISTORY Yemen is located in what has historically been considered the finest part of the Arab Peninsula, which has prompted numerous attempts to take control of the area. Before oil was found elsewhere on the Peninsula, Yemen was also seen as having the largest concentration of natural wealth. At that time, Saudi Arabia had little more than ...
Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential elections has had dire implications for the American “Greater Middle East” project which has guided US foreign policy in the Middle East since it was first put forward in 2003. Trump’s reorientation toward internal US problems (migration, economy, protectionism), the emergence of new geopolitical rivals (China and Iran) and the turning point being ...
Boris Johnson recently became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by a majority vote of the Conservative Party, despite his spotty reputation. This has generated a lot of worry, as any poorly considered action on his part could endanger the EU and his premiership. WHO IS THE NEW RESIDENT OF HOUSE DOWNING STREET? Boris Johnson is of Turkish, French ...
The recent downing of an American “Global Hawk” drone by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards is evidence of Iran’s advanced defensive capability. Iran has proven that it can answer a direct military threat, even from a global power like the US. The same can be said for the UK, whose international immunity provided by world authorities was unable to prevent its ...
The Chinese economy has recently boosted its foreign exchange earnings and substantially increased its currency reserves. The increase in China’s foreign exchange reserves and resources has provided the government with the opportunity to become one of the major actors in the supply of international relations and the global economy. China is one of the emerging geopolitical actors who have presented ...
Dissatisfied with the Shah’s confirmation of the 1975 Algiers Agreement, Kurdish Iraqi parties had initiated close and friendly relations with the Islamic Revolution’s leaders from the beginning, having seen themselves as victims of the former government’s deal. The Long war (1980-1988) between Iraq and post-revolution Iran was another opportunity for a closer relationship between the two, as the Kurdistan Democratic ...
Erbil attack In Erbil, Iraq, two terrorists carried out an armed attack killing several diplomats including an employee of the Turkish consulate general. Police arrested 27-year-old Mazlum Dağ in connection with the incident. The search for others involved in organizing the attack is ongoing, police said. Two Iraqi citizens were also killed in the July 27 incident, when gunmen opened ...
The conflict between the UK and Iran around the oil tanker Grace 1 runs the risk of growing over into a war of tankers. CNN said on July 11 quoting a source at the U.S. Department of Defense that five Iranian naval vessels had approached the British Heritage tanker during the latter ship’s transition from the Persian Gulf to the ...
Hasan Rouhani’s ultimatum to Europe for rescuing the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) has expired and the whole world is waiting to see what Iran will do next – continue observing the nuclear deal or create a nuclear bomb. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has made a statement suggesting Iran will go over to the second phase of the slashing ...