The Iran War Is Crippling One of the World’s Wealthiest Nations

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Iranian attacks and the stoppage of seaborne transit have paralyzed Qatar’s vital gas exports, stalling the economic pivots intended to anchor the country’s growth.

Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Qatar has tried to transform itself into a tourist destination and a hub for international business and finance. | Mahmud Hams/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
In Qatar, a desert peninsula protruding into the Persian Gulf, natural gas turned the country from a pearl-diving backwater into one of the world’s wealthiest nations.

Qatar spent three decades building supply lines, shipping tens of billions of dollars of liquefied natural gas each year through the Strait of Hormuz to ports across Asia and Europe.

The state, which derives more than 60 percent of its revenue from gas and gas-related exports, used that money to transform the peninsula into a gleaming metropolis. Unpaved desert roads were replaced by monolithic corporate skyscrapers, at the base of which irrigation systems water perennial blankets of grass and fuchsia flowers.

Gas wealth funded a metro system linking the capital, Doha, to Lusail, a northern city that is home to a Parisian-style mall and a theme park with artificial snow. The riches were also funneled into the world’s most expensive World Cup, and a $600 billion sovereign wealth fund with stakes in everything from Heathrow Airport in London to the Empire State Building in New York.

Then, in February, Qatar’s door to the world slammed shut.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz means virtually no gas has left Qatar’s shore for more than two months. The nation is also cut off from the sea routes through which it imports everything from vehicles to produce. Fears of regional instability have hurt tourism and eroded business sentiment. » | River Akira Davis | Reporting from Doha, Qatar | Sunday, May 17, 2026

Trump Threatens to ‘Massively Blow Up’ Major Iranian Gas Field after Strikes in Qatar | BBC News

Mar 19, 2026 | US President Donald Trump threatened to “massively blow up” a major Iranian gas field, after Iran attacked Qatar's Ras Laffan in retaliation to an Israeli attack on its South Pars gas field.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US "knew nothing" of Israel's strike, and threatened an escalation if Iran attacks Qatar again.

If Iran does strike Qatar again, Trump said the US will "will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before".

Iran's South Pars is part of the world's largest natural gas field, with both Qatar and Iran operating facilities in the area - Israel is yet to comment.

The price of gas has risen sharply in the UK and Europe following the attack on Qatar's Ras Laffan.

Qatari Investment Fund Pays £400m for Park Lane Hotel
THE GUARDIAN: InterContinental is latest London asset for emirate investing oil and gas cash in European real estate


The gas and oil wealth of Qatar has been used to snap up another UK asset after the emirate bought the InterContinental London Park Lane hotel in a £400m deal.

Constellation Hotels, part of the Qatar Holding investment vehicle that has invested in Sainsbury's and Barclays, has paid £301.5m for InterContinental Hotel Group's 57-year lease on the 447-bedroom property close to Hyde Park, the company announced on Thursday.

In a separate £100m deal it also acquired the freehold from the Crown Estate, the property company that controls the assets of the Queen. » | Simon Goodley | Thursday, March 28, 2013

Qataris 'Planning to Make £8billion Takeover Bid for Iconic High Street Chain Marks and Spencer'
THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: State-owned Qatar Investment Authority reportedly planning a takeover bid / Trading soared on Thursday and Friday amid rumours of a move on M&S / Iconic High Street chain reported a 1.8 per cent slump in Christmas sales

Marks and Spencer is bracing itself for an £8billion takeover bid from Qatar, according to reports.

The state-owned Qatar Investment Authority is reportedly planning to make a move on the iconic High Street chain and is forming a consortium.

The Gulf nation's sovereign wealth fund already owns Harrods, which it bought in 2010, and has a 26 per cent share in Sainsbury's.

It also has a stake in Heathrow Airport.

The bid would equate to £5 a share and rumours in the City on Thursday and Friday helped fuel soaring trade.

The Qataris are attempting to form a consortium and have approached private equity houses and banks, according to 'senior City sources' quoted by The Sunday Times. » | Becky Evans | Sunday, March 17, 2013

Le Qatar a-t-il approché Nicolas Sarkozy ?
LE POINT: Le "Financial Times" affirme que l'ex-président français a été sollicité par le Qatar pour prendre la tête d'un fonds d'investissement. L'entourage de Nicolas Sarkozy ne dément pas.

Nicolas Sarkozy reçoit des "propositions" mais "n'est engagé dans aucune", a affirmé lundi son entourage, après que le Financial Times a affirmé qu'il était sollicité notamment par le Qatar pour prendre la direction d'un fonds d'investissement abondé à hauteur de 500 millions d'euros. "Nicolas Sarkozy reçoit régulièrement des propositions, mais ne s'est engagé dans aucune", a réagi l'entourage de Nicolas Sarkozy, sans confirmer ni démentir les informations publiées par le FT, le 9 mars.

Selon le quotidien économique britannique, citant des sources "proches du dossier" non identifiées, le fonds souverain du Qatar associé à d'autres investisseurs débloquerait jusqu'à 500 millions d'euros. À charge ensuite pour Nicolas Sarkozy d'utiliser l'argent pour des investissements dans des pays émergents comme le Brésil, ou pour soutenir des entreprises espagnoles ou marocaines. Un responsable de l'UMP avait affirmé il y a quelques jours que l'ancien chef de l'État pourrait créer un fonds d'investissement, pour "investir dans les entreprises qui en ont besoin". Cela permettrait de "préserver de l'emploi", ce qui serait "un bon point pour Nicolas Sarkozy", disait cette source. Sous-entendu : s'il voulait revenir en politique. » | Source AFP | lundi 11 mars 2013

Valentino Slips from Italian Hands

THE GUARDIAN: Sources say Qatari royal family is behind Gulf investment group that has bought the fashion house for a reported €700m

The fashion house Valentino became the latest in a long line of famous brands to pass out of Italian hands on Thursday, when it was bought by the royal family of Qatar for a reported €700m (£550m).

It was the second renowned Italian design firm in two years to be snapped up by Gulf investors.

The company's founder, 80-year-old Valentino Garavani – a friend of princesses, socialites and film stars – staged his last collection in 2008. Ten years earlier, he and his life partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, had sold the company for around $300m (£195m) to an Italian conglomerate.

For the past four years, the design of Valentino's collections has been in the hands of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Picciolo, who worked closely with Garavani until his retirement. Their dresses have been worn by, among others, Jennifer Aniston and Rachel Weisz. » | John Hooper in Rome | Thursday, July 12, 2012

Qatar Continues Spending Spree with "Major" Stake in Shell
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Qatar has bought a "major" stake in Royal Dutch Shell as it continues its international corporate spending spree, amid reports it may also buy a stake in Eni and increase its holding in Xstrata.

Shell confirmed that the Qatar Investment Authority had amassed a significant stake in the company, but declined to say how large, dismissing as "speculation" reports that Qatar was in "very advanced talks" to buy a 3-5pc stake.

"We are delighted to welcome the Qatar Investment Authority as a long term and major shareholder in Shell, and particularly given our excellent strategic relationship with the Qatari state,” a Shell spokesman said.

It is thought Qatar's stake so far could be just under 3pc, given there has been no stock market announcement that it has passed the 3pc disclosure threshold.

Shell shares rose in London, with its 'A' shares up 0.5pc and 'B' shares up 0.35pc in midday trading. » | Emily Gosden | Friday, May 11, 2012

My comment:

At this rate, the West will soon all be owned by the Islamic world. Then it will be 'game, set, and match.' – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Sardinia's Costa Smerelda to Be Bought by Emir of Qatar

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Fifty years after it was created from scratch by the Aga Khan as a playground for the rich and famous, Sardinia's exclusive Emerald Coast is on the verge of being bought by one of the world's richest men, the emir of Qatar.

A portfolio of luxury properties on the stunning stretch of coastline - where former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has a sprawling villa - is to be acquired by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani through the Middle Eastern state’s sovereign fund, Qatar Holding.

The investment arm of the Qatari royal family is to buy Smeralda Holding, a company which owns four five-star hotels, the Pevero Golf Club, ranked as one of the top 100 courses in the world, and a marina with 700 yacht berths, according to Italian press reports.

The assets are currently owned by Tom Barrack, an American property magnate, whose Colony Capital fund bought them in 2003 for a reported €290m (£242m).

The sale has not been officially confirmed, and a spokesman for Qatar Holding in London declined to comment. » | Nick Squires | Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Qatar Promises Labour Reform Before 2022
Head of organising committee pledges international labour standards will be met as Gulf state prepares for tournament.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and UAE among Top 10 Countries in World by Proportion of Ultra[-]wealthy Households, Says Study by BCG
AME.info: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and UAE emerged as four of the top ten countries in the world with the highest density ultra[-]wealthy households. The findings appear in BCG's eleventh annual Global Wealth report titled Shaping a New Tomorrow: How to Capitalize on the Momentum of Change, which was released recently in the Middle East.

According to the study, "ultra-high-net-worth" (UHNW) households, defined as those with more than $100m in AuM, were most highly concentrated in Saudi Arabia registering 18 per 100,000 households. This was followed by Switzerland (10), Hong Kong (9), Kuwait (8), Austria (8), Norway (7), Qatar (6), Denmark (5), Singapore (5) and the UAE (5).

Qatar, Kuwait and UAE also made it to the top ten list in terms of the highest proportion of millionaire household by market with 8.9%, 8.5% and 2.6% millionaire households, respectively. » | Press Release | Thursday, June 02, 2011

Doha-sur-Seine: ce Qatar qui aime la France
L’EXPRESS.fr: Pour le tourisme ou les affaires, les Qataris adorent Paris. Immobilier de luxe, opérations financières, sponsoring sportif... ils investissent la capitale.

L'hôtel d'Evreux (au centre), place Vendôme à Paris, a été acheté par l'émir du Qatar en 2003. Photo grâce à l’AFP
Un petit vent frisquet balaie les Champs-Elysées, cet après-midi de février. Emmitouflé dans une doudoune de marque, Fadi, 25 ans, fait quelques emplettes avec sa mère. Manteau long, foulard rehaussé de perles sur les cheveux, madame s'engouffre dans une boutique de luxe. "Nous sommes ici pour quelques jours, avec mes frères et soeurs, glisse le jeune homme. Nous descendons toujours au même hôtel, tout près d'ici." La conversation est rapidement interrompue par l'intervention d'un garde du corps, aux bras chargés de paquets. Une scène presque coutumière dans ce quartier chic: depuis quelques années, de nombreux ressortissants qataris, comme Fadi et sa famille, ont fait de Paris l'une de leurs destinations favorites. La Ville Lumière attire aussi bien les touristes fortunés que la famille de l'émir et les principaux groupes financiers du pays - ce qui revient parfois au même. Ces visiteurs, qui disposent de l'un des revenus par habitant les plus élevés au monde (48 900 euros par an), viennent goûter aux plaisirs de la culture, du luxe et du fameux "romantisme" made in France. Les hommes d'affaires, eux, investissent dans l'immobilier, l'hôtellerie quatre étoiles, le parrainage sportif, quand ils n'entrent pas dans le capital de grandes sociétés françaises. Alors que la Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) doit ouvrir une succursale à Paris, l'année prochaine, quelques lieux privilégiés de l'Ouest parisien prennent déjà de faux airs de Doha-sur-Seine.

"Chez nous, les gens appellent les Champs-Elysées la ''route des Arabes du Golfe'", raconte, dans un français alerte, Talal, 21 ans, étudiant qatari en droit. L'été, les touristes de l'émirat prennent leurs quartiers dans les palaces voisins: George V, Fouquet's, Marriott, Crillon, etc. Dans ces établissements somptueux, où le prix d'une nuit peut atteindre 2500 euros, les clients bénéficient d'un confort et d'une confidentialité appréciables. "Ils se lèvent très tard, voire en début d'après-midi, car beaucoup d'entre eux sortent toute la nuit dans les cafés, restaurants et cabarets des alentours", confie l'employé d'un hôtel. >>> Par Boris Thiolay, Henri Haget, Olivier Saretta | Vendredi 27 Février 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Broché) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Relié) >>>

Islamic Finance Expands as Wealth Grows
KHALEEJ TIMES: DUBAI - The market for Islamic finance and banking is growing rapidly in the Gulf thanks to burgeoning wealth and attractive financial instruments.

Studies have put the total value of Islamic equity funds in the Gulf region at around 30 billion dollars (19.5 billion euros), said Khaled al-Masri, partner in asset management at Dubai-based Rasmala Investments.

“Investable wealth in the Gulf Cooperation Council is growing by one of the highest rates in the world ... This increase is being met with more product providers and products being launched in the GCC market,” he said.

The Islamic finance industry worldwide is worth around 700 billion dollars, Moody’s Investors Services estimated in a February report.

Economies of the six GCC member states -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- have been enjoying remarkable growth over the past few years on the back of record oil prices.

The robust economic performance has inflated local wealth in this Muslim region where many might prefer to seek profit through investments that do not contradict their beliefs.

The basic principle of Islamic finance is the prohibition of Riba (usury), which is correlated with interest in today’s banking.
Islamic funds are also banned from investing in companies associated with tobacco, alcohol, pornography, pork or gambling, all considered taboo by devout Muslims.

Some 125 Islamic equity funds are based in the GCC out of around 320 globally, said Mark Smyth, UK-based managing director of Failaka Advisors, an Islamic fund research company.

“Increasing familiarity with Islamic products combined with the presence of longer and more established funds seems to be driving the current growth, combined with strong returns,” Smyth told AFP.

Islamic finance provides a “solution for investors and consumers who want to adhere to sharia-compliant principles in their investment and consumption decisions,” said Masri, referring to principles in line with Islamic law.

He also pointed out that the sukuk (Islamic bonds) have become appealing at the corporate and government levels as a tool to raise finance, which in turn increased the size of the sector.

A report by the US-based Morgan Stanley investment bank published by the local press in February put outstanding issued sukuk at more than 90 billion dollars worldwide. Islamic finance expands as wealth grows >>>

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