N7 Foundation

This week, the N7 Foundation and Nevo Labs convened more than 100 leaders in New York to discuss AI and innovation in the Middle East. Our goal: Advance regional cooperation and advance the Middle East’s trajectory as a global hub of excellence in advanced technology. Read our press release: n7.org/events/shaping…

The war in the Middle East is testing regional coordination in real time. The challenge isn’t just exporting oil, it’s also sustaining critical imports as traditional routes are disrupted and supply chains are forced to adapt on the fly. Workarounds are emerging, but they underscore a clear reality: the infrastructure exists, yet it’s not keeping pace with the region’s needs. cnn.com/2026/03/24/mid…

N7 Senior Advisor Amb. Michael Ratney analyzes how Saudi Arabia is navigating the war with Iran and urges caution against speculation. Without reliable leaks or unofficial Saudi sources, some media have jumped to premature conclusions, which generate both false hope and undue fear regarding the future of Saudi intervention. Read more here: csis.org/analysis/how-d…

"We aren’t asking the U.S. to carry the full burden. We are defending our people, protecting regional stability and global prosperity, and demonstrating that real alliances are built on cooperation and contribution, not dependency." writes U.A.E. Ambassador Youssef Otaiba wsj.com/opinion/the-u-…

We are working with Congress to allocate $250 million for a new Pax Silica Fund initiative to strengthen secure, reliable semiconductor supply chains. The United States remains the partner of choice for Pax Silica signatories committed to securing strategic layers of the global technology supply chain. With today’s announcement, we’re backing that commitment with real engagement to advance Pax Silica through strategic partnerships, joint action, and projects focused on industrial capacity and logistics. state.gov/releases/offic…

#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan renew their condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant Iranian attacks, which constitute a flagrant violation of their sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law, international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations, whether carried out directly or through their proxies and armed factions they support in the region. They stress, in particular, the attacks carried out by armed factions loyal to Iran from the Republic of Iraq against a number of countries in the region, as well as their facilities and infrastructure. These acts constitute a breach of international laws and conventions and a blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), which explicitly demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally cease any attacks or threats against neighboring states, including through the use of proxies.

N7 Expert Joseph Epstein (@epsteinjos) for @TheNatlInterest points out that the U.S. can take two ambitious actions to formalize a regional cooperative architecture: ➡️ Forward deploy permanent interceptor systems, coordinated between American, Israeli, and GCC partners. ➡️ Expand the Abraham Accords to include a hard security component, with Saudi Arabia as the regional vanguard. Read more: nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-ea…

3/ A broad coalition of 22 countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, and European and Asian partners, condemned Iran’s attacks on unarmed commercial ships and the de facto closure. The move pulls in powerful allies to reflect the global implications of a regional war. mofa.gov.ae/en/MediaHub/Ne…

2/ Twelve GCC, Arab, and Muslim-majority nations issued a joint statement last Thursday condemning Iran’s attacks across the region. The group invoked UN Charter Article 51, and issued extraordinarily targeted, unified language against the Iranian regime’s actions. wam.ae/en/article/bza…

🧵Regional cooperation spotlight: 1/ Sweden officially joined Pax Silica, strengthening a growing international coalition dedicated to reinforcing economic security through supply chain resilience on artificial intelligence and by forging connections with partners and suppliers committed to fair market practices. Sweden’s innovation in 5G and technological prowess offers offers the growing Pax Silica coalition a strategic advantage in the AI race - @UnderSecE state.gov/on-the-occasio…

N7 Foundation Senior Advisor Dr. Eyal Hulata brings deep experience in regional and international strategy as Israel’s former National Security Advisor and head of the National Security Council. “My engagements with N7 both as an official and outside of government have been an outstanding opportunity to interact with counterparts from the Abrahamic alliance and promote shared interests and collaborative initiatives." We’re honored that he has joined us to inform how the current crisis may shape the future of the region.

Update from Amb. Al Otaiba: As Dr. Anwar Gargash highlighted - Iran's attacks have only strengthened our resolve. We will deepen our partnership with the US and seek long-term solutions to Gulf security. thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026…

Big news in the AI investment space. The US announced the new Pax Silica Investor Consortium, which brings together sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors with the goal of using their combined $1 trillion in assets to keep minerals, ports, factories and global semiconductor supply chains under control of US-aligned entities. As part of this effort, the US State Dept will be launching a $250 million Pax Silica fund.

We will never be blackmailed by terrorists

Despite the war with Iran, N7 Foundation Director Gershom Sacks remains bullish on US tech investments in the Gulf: “In the long term, I think they’ll continue to partner with the UAE and Saudi on this.” Stable energy, land, capital + light regulation make it a smart play, he discussed with @JuliaShapero at @TheHill. thehill.com/business/57837…

Qatar Declares Iranian Embassy Military, Security Attaches "Persona Non Grata" Doha | March 18, 2026 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an official note to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the State, stating that Qatar considers both the military attache and the security attache at the embassy, in addition to the staff of the two attache offices "persona non grata", and requests that they leave the country within a maximum period of (24) hours. This came during a meeting held Wednesday between HE Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Yousif Fakhro, and HE Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the State Ali Salehabadi. The ministry explained that this decision comes in response to repeated Iranian targeting and the blatant aggression against the State of Qatar, which violated its sovereignty and security, in a flagrant breach of the principles of international law, United Nations Security Council Resolution No. (2817), and the principles of good neighborliness. The ministry stressed that the continuation of this hostile approach by the Iranian side will be met with additional measures by the State of Qatar, in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security, and national interests. The ministry affirmed that the State of Qatar reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, in accordance with the provisions of international law. #MOFAQatar

NEW: The UK alongside France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan expresses readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz 👇 gov.uk/government/new…

The N7 Foundation wishes a blessed Eid al-Fitr to all our friends who celebrate.

5/ Critical humanitarian supplies are suffering from supply chain disruptions caused by the war with Iran. According to new reports, lifesaving humanitarian is getting stuck in regional hubs, driving up delivery costs by as much as 50%. The international community should also be prepared to alleviate potential humanitarian disasters by exploring new supply routes for critical aid. cfr.org/articles/the-i…

4/ As the war continues, the Gulf’s partners should begin planning for a humanitarian scenario to provide a steady flow of food and water to the Gulf, which could be just as important as replenishing its interceptors.

🧵: What humanitarian implications should the international community prepare for? 1/ As the Iran war enters its second week, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Commerce through the Strait is at a standstill, forcing the Gulf to turn off its taps, with predicted effects to oil and gas markets.

In a recent statement regarding the changing security landscape in the UAE in light of the current conflict, UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba reaffirmed the Emirates’ commitment to bilateral relations: “The UAE remains open for business, committed to our shared priorities and confident in our ability to navigate this period successfully. The UAE's response to this moment is not to 'shelter in place.' It is to move forward. And we will do it alongside our closest partners in the US.”