
Iranian president says supreme leader believes US investors can come to Iran
"In a conversation we had with the Supreme Leader, he believed that American investors can come to Iran and there are no obstacles to their activities... Unfortunately, it is Israel that does not allow peace in the region," Pezeshkian said in a post on X, several weeks after an air war between Israel and Iran.
(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha and Parisa Hafezi, Editing by William Maclean)
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Gulf Business
18 minutes ago
- Gulf Business
Buying plane tickets with crypto: Emirates explores option with new MoU
Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes Imagine booking your next Emirates flight using cryptocurrency. That future is now within reach, as the airline teamed up with leading digital assets platform to explore accepting crypto payments across its services. Under a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed this week, Emirates and will work together to integrate Pay into the airline's payment systems — a move expected to roll out in 2025. The partnership marks a significant step for both brands, and for Dubai's broader ambitions to become a global hub for fintech and digital innovation. The signing took place in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, alongside Michael Doersam, Emirates' chief financial and group services Officer. The agreement was formalised by Adnan Kazim, Emirates' deputy president and CCO, and Mohammed Al Hakim, president of UAE operations. 'Partnering with to integrate cryptocurrency into our digital payments system reflects Emirates' commitment to meeting evolving customer preferences,' said Kazim. 'It's in line with Dubai's vision to be at the forefront of financial innovation, while giving our customers more flexibility in how they transact with us.' Read: Crypto gets further mainstream For 'This partnership brings real momentum to the digital asset industry,' said Eric Anziani, president and COO of 'Working with a global brand like Emirates allows us to expand crypto's everyday use cases and offer innovative finance solutions for customers in the region.' The two companies will also explore joint marketing campaigns to build awareness and encourage travellers to consider crypto as a payment option. The move follows a growing trend in Dubai, where a wave of companies — from real estate developers to telecoms — are already accepting cryptocurrency. With supportive regulations and a rapidly growing digital economy, the UAE is positioning itself as a trailblazer in the global crypto space. So if you've been watching crypto from the sidelines, your next Emirates booking might just give you a reason to join the digital currency club.

The National
22 minutes ago
- The National
These are the roles driving UAE job growth
Job growth in the UAE in the second quarter outpaced Saudi Arabia, driven by strong demand in real estate, financial services and technology sectors, the introduction of a digital work permit system and high employer confidence, a report by recruitment company Cooper Fitch has shown. Hiring activity in the Emirates accelerated by 4 per cent for the three months to the end of June, while job growth in the kingdom rose by 2 per cent, according to Cooper Fitch's Gulf Employment Index report. Saudi Arabia recorded steady hiring across finance, tourism and infrastructure, although momentum slowed slightly as organisations reassessed budgets and project timelines, the research found. 'The UAE had a significant import of high-net-worth individuals, millionaires and billionaires. We're also seeing a lot of SME activity happening in the jobs market here. A lot of sectors in the UAE are growing well simultaneously,' Trefor Murphy, founder and chief executive of Cooper Fitch, told The National. 'Legal in-house, public sector, infrastructure [roads and rail], education, tourism, supply chain, sales and marketing are other sectors in the UAE recording robust hiring activity. 'Saudi Arabia is repositioning themselves and working on projects that have specific timelines attached to them, such as the AFC Asian Cup and Expo 2030, among others. They've a huge amount of infrastructure they need to do to be prepared for those big global events.' There is also a shift from hiring of 'strategic, visionary type' roles to 'execution roles' in the UAE, he added. The UAE is facing a surplus of skilled professionals in many roles, particularly at middle and senior management levels, according to recruitment experts. The country's attractive lifestyle and tax-free salaries continue to draw skilled professionals from around the world. The Emirates' population is booming and job seekers in many professions now far outstrip the number of available roles, HR professionals said. People are coming in and taking jobs for very low salaries just to get their foot in the door, they added. Employers are placing greater emphasis on UAE market experience and cultural fit, as well as soft skills, given the abundance of technically qualified candidates. Overall hiring in the GCC rose by 1 per cent in the second quarter, Cooper Fitch said. Oman registered a 2 per cent growth in hiring activity driven by expansion in the renewables, manufacturing and industrial development sectors. Employment creation in Bahrain increased by 1 per cent, led by FinTech and tourism. However, a smaller talent pool and limited project scale continued to temper broader hiring momentum, the consultancy reported. Qatar and Kuwait both saw reduced hiring in the second quarter, with contractions of 3 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively. 'In Qatar, employers reassessed short-term hiring plans due to slower momentum in energy and infrastructure projects, particularly around the North Field expansion. However, long-term hiring intent remaining intact,' the report said. 'Kuwait's hiring activity remained subdued, with many employers deferring decisions amid ongoing policy discussions and the absence of new project approvals.' Watch: Why expat salary packages are not what they used to be With both Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha falling in the second quarter, along with the early summer slowdown, many organisations delayed decision-making, particularly in markets with large public sectors or family-owned businesses, according to Cooper Fitch. Countries advancing project delivery saw hiring growth, while others slowed amid delays in spending, the consultancy said. Roles in demand in Gulf Senior finance roles notched the highest growth in the GCC this quarter, up by 8 per cent, driven by the formation of new joint ventures and increased regulatory oversight. Internal audit and compliance hiring surged, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Cooper Fitch research found. Broader finance recruitment also rose 4 per cent, fuelled by a 'sustained appetite' for financial planning and analysis specialists and treasury professionals. GCC financial hubs, particularly the Dubai International Finance Centre and ADGM, experienced a 2 per cent increase in investment-linked hiring, as 'global fund inflows intensified the competition for top-tier compliance, risk and regulatory professionals', according to Cooper Fitch. In banking, hiring activity grew by 3 per cent, led by demand for professionals who straddle governance, automation and data. Strategy hiring, aligning recruitment with long-term business goals, remained flat as companies increasingly favoured interim consultants or niche specialists over traditional firms, the consultancy said. We're seeing a lot of SME activity happening in the UAE job market. A lot of sectors are growing well simultaneously Trefor Murphy, founder and chief executive, Cooper Fitch 'Leadership hiring in the chief executive practice increased by 4 per cent, driven by mandates related to restructuring, digital redesign and new market expansion,' according to Cooper Fitch. ' Public sector hiring grew 5 per cent underpinned by sustained investment in digitalisation and citizen services. HR hiring rose by 4 per cent in the GCC, largely fuelled by nationalisation mandates and large-scale workforce mobilisation across utilities, energy and industrial sectors.' Sales and marketing hiring grew by 6 per cent, driven by strong activity in real estate, manufacturing and consumer markets. Real estate hiring increased by 1 per cent, supported by key project delivery milestones and a rise in developer activity, particularly in Abu Dhabi, the report said. Legal hiring was mixed: in-house counsel demand rose by 7 per cent, especially within investment and real estate firms, while private practice hiring contracted by 3 per cent. Hiring in manufacturing increased by 2 per cent, driven by new plant developments and upgrades across steel, power, packaging and chemicals. Supply chain hiring rose 3 per cent. Roles linked to automation, vendor management and logistics transformation gained traction, the report found. In technology, software jobs contracted by 2 per cent, while cloud hiring declined by 3 per cent and cybersecurity hiring rose by 3 per cent. Digital, data and AI hiring increased by 4 per cent in the GCC.


The National
22 minutes ago
- The National
Lebanon to push ahead with disarming Hezbollah amid assurances Israel will pull troops out
Lebanon has received western guarantees for Israel to withdrawal from its territory and commit to a ceasefire, a Lebanese political source told The National. In exchange Lebanon is expected to enter a "new phase' in which its army becomes the sole legitimate holder of weapons in the country, while Hezbollah has also agreed to disarm, the source added. 'If the US and French guarantees move forward, I estimate we can move on to the next phase,' the source said. 'Our biggest priority is establishing a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal – before anything else.' The source was speaking after a visit by US envoy Thomas Barrack, during which leaders in Beirut submitted a seven-page response to Washington's road map for Hezbollah's disarmament and Lebanon's integration into what the US views as a new era of regional stability under western influence. 'The overall meeting that happened between [Lebanese leaders] and Barrack was much preferable to our expectations,' the source said. He described Lebanon's response to the proposal as acceptance of 'a new opportunity and giving the Israelis an opportunity to [end the conflict]'. He confirmed the response to Washington included a "plan for the army to secure and facilitate the state's legal authority over all arms in the country". But despite the guarantees the source expressed some doubt, citing an escalation of Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory in the past week. Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanon despite a ceasefire that ended 14 months of war with Hezbollah in November. The truce called for Hezbollah to begin disarming south of the Litani River in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Officials in Beirut have criticised the ceasefire deal as one-sided, claiming it has failed to stop Israel attacking Lebanon. Israel still maintains a military occupation of five points along the border separating the two countries. While Hezbollah, a powerful political party and paramilitary force that suffered devastating losses in the war, has co-operated with Lebanese authorities south of the Litani, the US has increased pressure on the country's leaders to push for the group to lay down its weapons. Mr Barrack's visit, which promoted the US-backed road map, reflected what he has described as a 'carrot and stick' strategy, linking Hezbollah's disarmament to the end of Israeli military operations and US funding for Lebanon's post-war reconstruction. Lebanon's political leadership has expressed broad agreement that the state should hold exclusive military authority. However, senior figures have urged the US to adopt a softer approach, citing the difficulty of making a case for Hezbollah's full disarmament as Israeli attacks continue. One western diplomat in Lebanon described the US proposal as 'an extension of the ceasefire, driven by a medium and long-term vision for what's needed to restore stability". "It's not about setting deadlines; it's a parallel-track approach. As progress is made on one front, reciprocal actions are taken on the other." Washington has made clear that Lebanon-Israel relations are not its priority following the region's shift towards western influence, the diplomat told The National. 'If the Lebanese choose not to engage, so be it. The reality is that Lebanon is not a US priority when it comes to normalisation. The real focus is Syria.' Lebanon has been beholden to foreign influence since its inception. Hezbollah's losses, along with an about-turn in Syria's 13-year civil war that brought an Islamist government to power, have created a willingness to align with US interests. At the same time, Iran's influence in the region diminished. This has allowed Lebanon, caught between the US and its allies on one side, and Iran and its allies on the other, to move on from years of state paralysis. All sources who spoke to The National requested anonymity due to the 'highly sensitive' nature of the negotiations. In an interview with Lebanese channel LBCI, Mr Barrack denied that Washington was imposing hard deadlines on the state to ensure Hezbollah disarms. 'There's no threats, there's no dictates," he said. "Look around you. The region is changing. Everything is changing. If you don't want to change, if the people don't want to change, just tell us and we'll not interfere. 'If Lebanon wants to just keep kicking this can down the road, they can keep kicking the can down the road but we're not going to be here in May having this discussion.' A pro-US Lebanese politician echoed the urgency of the situation. 'No one is going to wait forever for the Lebanese,' he said. 'You've seen the tactical shift happening in the Middle East. Alliances are shifting rapidly. No one wants to see Lebanon fall behind.'