Middle East News & Analysis

Middle East

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.

Featured April 18, 2025

Russia, Qatar Heads of State Discuss Israel and Syria Conflicts 

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Moscow on Thursday (April 17) to discuss regional security issues in the Middle East, focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the situation in Syria. The visit marked Al Thani’s first official trip to Russia since 2018. Palestine Both leaders expressed […]

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Featured April 18, 2025

Russia To Keep Its Syrian Military Bases 

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya has stated that Russian troops will be staying at their bases in Syria, as Moscow continues to hold talks with the new Syrian government in Damascus. Nebenzya said that “Russian servicemen will stay where they are. We are talking to the current Syrian government.” Syria’s armed opposition […]

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April 17, 2025

Russia, Turkiye 2025 Relations: Update

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan have discussed the situation in the South Caucasus and the Black Sea region and Russian-Turkish economic and energy cooperation, during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held last week. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) is an annual conference on international diplomacy that is held in […]

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April 12, 2025

Russia’s Q1 2025 Buckwheat Exports Double

Russia’s buckwheat exports doubled year-on-year to 110,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2025, the Agroexport federal center has reported. China remained the biggest importer, purchasing 96% of Russian buckwheat exports. Turkey imported 1% and Iran also 1%. Agroexport said that Turkey had imported a record 1,200 tonnes of buckwheat, while Iraq purchased Russian buckwheat […]

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April 9, 2025

Russia Imports Its First Shipment Of Dates From Dubai

In another sign of shifting supply chains, Russia’s FESCO Transport Group has organised the first shipment of imported dates in a refrigerated container from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Russia. 23 tonnes of dried dates were loaded into a FESCO refrigerated container and delivered to the UAE’s Jebel Ali Port. The cargo was then loaded […]

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April 8, 2025

Russia, Iran and China Hold Trilateral Talks About Iran’s Nuclear Programme 

Trilateral talks between representatives of Iran, Russia, and China on the Iranian nuclear program have been taking place in Moscow (April 8). The talks were arranged a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected as “meaningless” US President Donald Trump’s proposal for direct negotiations on reviving a nuclear deal. Tehran refuses to engage in […]

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March 23, 2025

Russia, Qatar Developing Regional Rail, Road and Port Infrastructure

Russia and Qatar are negotiating a draft intergovernmental memorandum on cooperation in transport and transit, the Russian Ministry of Transport has stated. It is another example of Russia’s own version of the Belt & Road Initiative.  The two countries have been holding their fifth meeting of the joint Russian-Qatari commission on trade, economic and technical […]

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March 20, 2025

Russian Seafood Imports From Iran Up 25% In 2024

Russia imported 20,000 tonnes of seafood from Iran in 2024, up 25% from the previous year, the Russia Fish Union said, citing the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA). In monetary terms, imports also increased 25%, reaching US$60 million in value. Russia accounted for 10% of Iran’s total seafood exports in volume […]

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March 18, 2025

Eurasian Economic Union, Iran, Free Trade Agreement Effective From May 15   

The full free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries and Iran will go into effect on May 15, according to Andrei Slepnev, the Eurasian Economic Commission Trade Minister. The EAEU includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. It fills the geographic space between Eastern Europe and Western China.   The EAEU said in […]

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March 17, 2025

Russia, Qatar Discuss Regional Halal Agri-Industrial Hub

Russia is considering the establishment of an agro-industrial hub in Qatar and it is ready to increase supplies of halal agricultural products there, according to Denis Manturov, the Russian First Deputy Prime Minister. He was speaking at the fifth meeting of the joint Russian-Qatari commission on trade, economic and technological cooperation in Doha. Manturov said […]

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March 15, 2025

Russia, China & Iran To Cooperate More In BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Amidst Nuclear Talks

China, Russia and Iran have agreed to boost coordination within the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the three countries’ diplomats said in a statement following a meeting in Beijing to discuss Iran’s nuclear issues. China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu stated that “The parties agreed to support and strengthen coordination on multilateral platforms […]

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