Post #4466596

'Like other Gulf states, there is a fresh realisation that it is a hostage to geography ... 'Abdulla, the Emirati academic, says Iran initiated the dialogue. 'The UAE has considered Iran a threat since the 1979 Islamic revolution, and its relationship with Tehran ever since has been a balance between the hawkish stance of Abu Dhabi and commercially oriented Dubai’s longstanding status as a vital hub for Iranian trade. 'In the months since, the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi has doubled in size, making it one of the Jewish state’s largest diplomatic missions. 'DP World, the logistics group, has announced plans to build two new terminals in Fujairah on the UAE’s east coast to reduce reliance on its flagship Jebel Ali hub ... 'Adnoc, the state oil company, is accelerating the construction of a new pipeline to double its oil export capacity to Fujairah ... 'Last month Adnoc’s crude production hit a record high of 4.1mn barrels a day ... 'But most western airlines are still not flying to what is typically one of the world’s busiest transit hubs. Hotel occupancy has slumped despite large discounts. More than half a dozen high-end Dubai hotels, including some of its best known, such as the Burj Al Arab and the Armani Hotel, have closed for refurbishment. A number of restaurants have shut their doors'. https://archive.md/mOdXx