live Iran, U.S. make competing claims over control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
Uzbekistan and Jordan have signed agreements to cooperate in exploring uranium, copper, rare metals, and other critical mineral deposits.
The announcement came during a working visit to Amman by Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Geology, Rustam Yusupov, accompanied by representatives from state mining companies including the Technological Metals Complex, Uzbek Overseas Geology Company, and Navoiyuran.
During talks, Navoiyuran specialists and the Jordan Uranium Mining Company reviewed uranium prospects, while the Jordanian National Arab Mining Company signed a memorandum with Uzbekistan to explore copper, rare metals, and industrial minerals. A joint working group has been formed, and a roadmap for cooperation has been adopted.
What’s Behind the Move & Why It Matters
One of the key drivers of this cooperation is the relatively modest scale of existing trade relations between the two countries. In 2024, bilateral trade turnover amounted to approximately $6.9 million. Against this backdrop, Uzbekistan brings substantial geological expertise and mining capacity, while Jordan aims to diversify its mineral sector. Given the rising global demand for critical minerals and uranium, the partnership holds significant strategic potential for both sides.
Challenges & Considerations
Executing such mineral exploration programmes demands large investment, technical capacity, and strict environmental and regulatory compliance. Moreover, global mineral prices—especially for uranium and rare metals—are volatile, which increases financial risk. For the cooperation to succeed, both sides will need not only to align policy (e.g. through Preferential Trade Agreements) but also ensure sustainable development and community benefits.
If technical, regulatory, and trade-barrier limitations are addressed, the partnership could leverage each country’s strengths to tap into growing global demand for critical resources.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
The suspension of two major grain terminals in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk could increase pressure on Kazakhstan’s agricultural market if Russian exporters divert supplies to Central Asia at discounted prices.
Georgia’s Prime Minister says the EU’s inclusion of a major Black Sea cable project on a key infrastructure list is fresh evidence of the country’s importance to regional energy and digital connectivity.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has dismissed Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and appointed former parliament speaker Alen Simonyan as his replacement.
Central Asia’s economy has surpassed $543 billion, driven by Kazakhstan’s economic weight, strong exports and foreign investment, while growing trade across Asia points to an increasingly connected region.
The United Nations refugee agency is planning a settlement and carpet-weaving workshop for Afghan returnees in Kabul as the country grapples with large-scale returns and growing pressure on housing, jobs and basic services.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment