Trump threatens Iran with annihilation

At the UN General Assembly in New York, the U.S. President told delegates he faced a big decision: make a deal with Iran or annihilate the Islamic Republic quickly.

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly?”

White House frustrated by ongoing conflict

There is frustration in the White House that the war continues, with Iran launching attacks on its neighbors and the Strait of Hormuz still compromised.

Gulf states urge Trump to avoid escalation

Ahead of their planned meeting with Trump at the UN, Gulf states looked to urge the U.S. President to avoid any further escalation of hostilities in the region.

Qatar's Emir calls for renewed diplomacy

Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, took to the podium at the UN to call for renewed diplomacy to resolve the conflict, saying the Gulf is experiencing one of the most dangerous phases in its history.

“We remain deeply convinced that the crisis in the Gulf can be resolved through diplomatic means.”

U.S. envoys meet Iranian delegation

Special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held a very productive three-hour meeting with Iran's delegation, including foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. It marks the first direct U.S.-Iran talks since June.

“We'll see what happens with that. But I think there's a lot of momentum for them to make a deal, that's what we're hearing from everybody.”

Talks produce no breakthroughs yet

Al Jazeera reported the meeting discussed possible conditions for resuming negotiations and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but produced no breakthroughs. Another meeting is expected in the near future.

Gulf leaders seek security guarantees

While a diplomatic resolution remains the top priority for Gulf leaders, analysts told The New York Times they are also likely to ask Trump for hardened security guarantees.

Houthis open second front in conflict

The Houthis' rapid advance along Yemen's western coast over the past fortnight has opened a second front in the Middle East conflict, enabling them to seize territory near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Trump approves F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia

The Trump administration approved the sale of forty-eight F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a deal estimated at twenty-four point three billion dollars.

Saudi crown prince urges military action

Saudi Arabia's crown prince has reportedly urged Trump to take military action against the Houthis, according to CBS News, but the U.S. President has so far declined to do so.

Congress has thirty days to scrutinize deal

The U.S. Congress has thirty days to scrutinize the F-35 deal. If approved, it would make Saudi Arabia only the second country in the Middle East, alongside Israel, to operate the advanced stealth fighters.

Qatar signs twenty billion dollar JPMorgan deal

Qatar Investment Authority announced a twenty billion dollar partnership with JPMorgan's asset management arm spanning public and private markets across equities and credit.

Qatar creates new domestic investment division

Qatar Investment Authority announced creation of Doha Investment, a new division to manage and increase its domestic portfolio. The division will oversee forty-five state-owned enterprises representing roughly one-third of the wealth fund's total assets, estimated at five hundred eighty billion dollars.

Qatar's LNG exports plummet due to blockade

Before the war, Qatar supplied about one-fifth of the world's daily LNG, but its LNG exports have dropped by ninety-six percent compared with a year ago, according to data intelligence firm ICIS.

Gulf funds gain stake in Paramount-Warner merger

The FCC approved Gulf sovereign wealth funds to exceed the foreign ownership cap in the proposed one hundred eleven billion dollar Paramount-Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Saudi Arabia's PIF, the UAE's L'imad Holding Company and Qatar Investment Authority are expected to hold a combined thirty-eight point five percent economic interest.

Gulf funds commit twenty-four billion to merger

The three Gulf funds have reportedly committed a combined twenty-four billion dollars to help finance Paramount's acquisition of Warner, providing around half of the forty-seven billion dollars in equity financing for the transaction.

UAE launches satellite platform with Viasat

Abu Dhabi's satellite operator Space42 and U.S. communications company Viasat announced they were joining forces to create a platform called Equatys that will connect smartphones and other devices directly to satellites, slated to start operating in twenty twenty-nine.

Equatys plans massive satellite constellation expansion

Equatys will initially comprise fewer than two hundred satellites, with plans to expand the constellation to two thousand eight hundred over several years to provide connectivity for people around the globe.