Middle East Update: Iran Talks in Oman Postponed as Oil Prices Surge Toward $108

In the latest episode of Trending Middle East, a planned meeting between Iran and Gulf states in Oman has been postponed. The sultanate stated that the appropriate conditions were not in place, leading Tehran and Muscat to jointly agree to reschedule the talks, which were originally set to take place in Salalah.

In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels suffered heavy losses during clashes with government forces in Taiz, following earlier major gains along the Red Sea coast.

Meanwhile, oil prices surged toward $108 a barrel after Saudi Arabia shut its East-West pipeline in the wake of attacks. This closure removed a vital route for crude exports that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.

On the tourism front, Dubai recorded its strongest month since the Iran war began, welcoming 869,000 overnight visitors in August. Additionally, Abu Dhabi introduced a new off-plan mortgage framework designed to ease financing for buyers and strengthen confidence in the emirate's property market.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, utilizing original reporting published in The National while being curated and edited by humans.