Russia’s trade and investment into the Middle East is rapidly developing, with relations both through the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League all helping boost bilateral trade by 25% during 2025. Partially driven by the developments along the INSTC, and new regional free trade agreements, we provide analysis of the growing Russia-Middle East economic partnership. Discover trade statistics, investment flows from the GCC, and business opportunities for companies in both regions.
Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has met with Fuad Hussein, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Iraq on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. They discussed pressing matters of Russian-Iraqi relations, and reiterated their mutual commitment to deepening the political dialogue and expanding mutually beneficial […]
Update: September 26 This agreement has now been signed, with Rosatom to build four NPP in Iran near the Strait of Hormuz, and another four smaller plants elsewhere. The contract is worth US$25 billion. Russia and Iran are set to formalize agreements on the construction of new nuclear power units in Iran this week, according […]
The Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, together with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller have held meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad, together with delegations from both sides. They also met with the CEO of National Iranian Gas Company, Seyed Tavakoli. A strategic memorandum was signed with Gazprom in 2024 on exploring […]
The Russian Finance Ministry is to hold negotiations in response to a request from Bahrain to conclude a Double Tax Treaty Agreement (DTA), according to Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Sazanov. Bahrain made the request in June. DTAs are useful when trade, especially in services and investment, is developing between two countries when their respective tax […]
Russia’s Security Council Secretary, Sergey Shoigu, has been visiting Baghdad and has been holding meetings with Iraq’s top political and military leadership during his visit to the country. Visits of this type typically involve security issues; however, these can also interface with regional trade and investment projects. Shoigu said that communications between Moscow and Baghdad […]
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The 8th joint annual ministerial meeting of Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Strategic Dialogue was held in Sochi on Thursday (September 11). The meeting was co-chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Abdullah Al Yahya, the Foreign Minister of Kuwait, who is currently chair of the GCC. Other participants included Abdullatif Al Zayani, the Foreign […]
The Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander Novak, has proposed to the new Syrian authorities that the Russia-Syrian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation should now be reactivated. He was speaking as part of a Russian delegation with Syrian officials in Damascus. Novak stated that “We propose to resume the work of the intergovernmental commission […]
The BRICS nations convened an emergency virtual summit yesterday (September 8), hosted by Brazilian President Lula da Silva, to discuss the situation concerning the United States imposition of trade tariffs on multiple countries including BRICS members. The meeting lasted about 90 minutes. All ten full BRICS members were present, represented by Brazilian President Lula Da […]
Russia’s VTB has secured the principal approval of the Central Bank of Iran to open a branch in the country and will offer customers international settlements in national currencies as part of its servicing foreign commerce, according to Olga Basha, a VTB board member. She was speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum currently taking place […]
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members have voted to reorganise the status of the three non-full member categories of “Dialogue Partners,” “Observers,” and “Permanent Guests” into one single category: “SCO Partners.” The move simplifies categories and makes the group easier to administer. This means that Afghanistan, Mongolia and Turkmenistan all become partners, as does the […]
The annual Heads of State meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is set to take place in Tianjin, northern China from August 31 to September 1. It will be attended by more than 20 heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, in addition to the heads of 10 international organizations, such as the […]
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