The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

Help AGSIW highlight youth voices in the Gulf. When eight OPEC+ producers decided May 3 to accelerate production increases, they cited “healthy oil market fundamentals,” but the market is ailing. There are more plausible motivations for increasing output in the face of a global economic downturn: to punish the cheaters within OPEC+, to earn goodwill from the U.S. administration before President Donald J. Trump’s upcoming trip to the region, and to test the response of U.S. shale producers.

A May 4 missile strike on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport by Yemen’s Houthi rebels does not appear to have significantly disrupted ongoing U.S.-Iranian diplomatic engagement, contrary to concerns voiced by reformist media outlets in Iran. This, in part, lends credence to the strategic calculus advanced by segments of the Iranian foreign policy elite who argued that calibrated use of force can serve as a means of coercive diplomacy to enhance Iran’s bargaining leverage.

Skip to content ساعد معهد دول الخليج العربية في واشنطن في تسليط الضوء على أصوات الشباب الخليجي. من المتوقع أن تعقد الجولة الرابعة من المفاوضات النووية بين الولايات المتحدة وإيران في مسقط، عُمان، في نهاية هذا الأسبوع بعد أول تعديل حكومي في واشنطن له علاقة مباشرة بمستقبل البرنامج النووي الإيراني، حين أصبح مستشار الأمن القومي السابق مايك والتز، ضحية لتصلبه تجاه البرنامج النووي الإيراني، وتأييده وتنسيقه للخيار العسكري ضده مع رئيس وزراء إسرائيل بنيامين نتنياهو.

Help AGSIW highlight youth voices in the Gulf. From May 13-16, President Donald J. Trump will repeat the opening gesture of his first administration by making the initial major diplomatic travel of his second term to Saudi Arabia (excluding his unanticipated visit to Rome for the funeral of the late Pope Francis) but this time also including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

On May 6, Oman announced it had brokered a cease-fire between the United States and Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Within hours, President Donald J. Trump declared the Houthis – who had been targeted by a U.S. air campaign since mid-March – had “capitulated.” But inside Yemen, the Houthis continued to do what they’ve always done in moments of pressure – tighten control, not loosen it. There was no public statement and no acknowledgment of compromise.

President Donald J. Trump will make Saudi Arabia the first country he visits during his second term in office (after his visit to the Vatican to take part in the funeral of Pope Francis) just as he did in 2017. The upcoming visit reflects his favorable view of the kingdom and his belief that the Saudi leadership will invest in the U.S. economy. Where do U.S.-Saudi relations stand? And what will Trump’s second visit to the kingdom mean for this relationship?

Help AGSIW highlight youth voices in the Gulf. Amid the twin fiscal and current account deficits recorded in Saudi Arabia in 2024, it is easy to lose sight of the continued progress made in economic diversification during the year in terms of exports, output, government revenue, and, to a lesser degree, employment.

Skip to content The postponement of the anticipated May 3 indirect diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran represents “neither a diplomatic impasse nor a definitive breakthrough,” according to Nour News Agency, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. In its lead commentary, Nour News emphasized the ongoing viability of the diplomatic track despite increased tensions.

Water security is a critical concern for the Gulf Arab states due to the region’s severe water scarcity. However, water security involves more than merely ensuring water supply, as water needs span various aspects of human and economic demands. This includes balancing water use for food security, supporting economic diversification goals, and mitigating environmental harm resulting from increased supply, such as the impacts of desalination.

The Obstacles to Getting to “Yes” With Iran The ongoing negotiation process between the United States and Iran will be complex and volatile – while some of the most central issues might be soluble, sanctions issues might prove intractable.