Abbas Al Lawati

Interesting: For Saudi Arabia, "higher prices more than compensated for lost shipments through the strait, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc." bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

'Early on in the crisis, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Riyadh and Abu Dhabi that the U.S. wouldn't pick sides, sources said.'

My Grade 2 Arabic teacher, who would punish us if we'd speak in colloquial Arabic in class. ♥️

UAE quitting OPEC was akin to "little brother no longer wanting to be tied down by ‘big brother.’" bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

The UAE is "not considering" any withdrawals from other organizations at this time, a UAE Official told CNN. In the wake of the UAE's move to withdraw from OPEC there has been speculation that regional powerhouse the UAE could pull out of other key bodies like the Arab League or the OIC. Asked whether the UAE would withdraw from other multilateral organizations the official said the country “is revising the relevance and utility of its role and contribution across the board.” The OPEC withdrawal announcement coincided with the GCC's extraordinary meeting in Jeddah. The UAE official told CNN that the “session yesterday was a first good step in the right direction,” and added that “there is still much to be done against a precarious backdrop.”

“It is an Emirati declaration of independence,” said Kristin Diwan. “They no longer feel beholden to institutions that don’t align with their interests.” nytimes.com/2026/04/28/wor…

Iranian MP says Oman suggested that Saudi be included in consortium to regulate Hormuz. MP says "Iran would not mind that security in the region be formed in synergy with the presence of the Persian Gulf countries." etemadonline.com/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D…

@omanair You're asking me for a refund request number. You never sent me a refund request number because you've been ignoring all my messages

@allawati Hello, please check your private message. Thank you

We're pleased to announce the resumption of our daily flights to Dubai, starting 18 April 2026. Book now!

“There’s a sense (in the Gulf)... that this conflict is going to define us for a generation, and we must respond, that we will respond with strength,” Starmer tells Trump. edition.cnn.com/2026/04/10/wor…

UAE says it will reassess which regional partners it can “rely on” and review its national priorities after bearing the brunt of Iranian attacks. • Last month, Gargash criticized “major” Arab and Islamic nations for failing to support Gulf Arabs in “times of hardship." • Gargash told CNN Abu Dhabi will “double down" on relationship with US and expects to see “Israeli influence become more prominent in the Gulf, not less” cnn.com/2026/04/10/wor…

He uses American spelling

JD Vance played a "substantial" role in convincing Trump to end the war. By @talshalev1 cnn.com/2026/04/08/wor…

During the era of Iran’s shah, Gulf Arab states saw Tehran as the “policeman of the Gulf.” An end to the war that leaves Iran in control of the Strait of Hormuz risks turning that perception into a reality.

When Trump ordered Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he didn’t demand that it relinquish control. Instead, he amplified a letter from Iran’s foreign minister affirming Tehran’s authority over the waterway.

The Iranian regime was at its weakest point in history on the eve of the US-Israeli war. Six weeks later, it emerged with strategic gains not seen even during the era of the powerful Western-allied shah. cnn.com/2026/04/08/wor…

The strategy: Israel and the US are trying to erase Iran’s nuclear expertise, from professors, labs, archives, supply chains, and even potential replacements. An Israeli security source put it to @talshalev1 “Every link in the nuclear production chain is a target — from the knowledge base to the production floor. The goal is to cut off all the roots.” “In terms of knowledge – scientists, libraries, archives, chemical labs, the people working in all these places - and also the ranks that could replace them” are all targets, the source told CNN.

@omanair I'm still waiting for a refund for a flight you cancelled a month ago. No one has replied to any of my emails, DMs or calls

⚠️ Dear valued guests, Oman Air flights continue to operate as normal, with additional services across our network. However, due to ongoing regional airspace closures, some routes remain temporarily affected. As a result, flights to and from Dubai (DXB), Bahrain (BAH), Doha (DOH) Kuwait (KWI), Copenhagen (CPH), Baghdad (BGW), and Khasab (KHS) are cancelled until 30 April 2026. Affected bookings may be managed via our website at omanair.com or the Oman Air mobile app. We apologise for any inconvenience.

“To the Iranians, the Strait of Hormuz now matters more than the nuclear program. The nuclear program was symbolic, but didn’t provide them with any deterrence,” said @vali_nasr , a professor at Johns Hopkins University and former senior State Department official. “Now, the only reason why they are surviving this war is because of the strait. The Iranian thinking is that, at the end, the strait must remain under their control because it is their only deterrence and only source of revenue.” wsj.com/world/middle-e…